Love is Courage
by Barbara Rose
Summary: This is the sequel to When you least expect it. It is a Scrubs and Matt and Maxie and Liz and Lucky story. Many familiar characters show up in fun new roles. Patrick and Robin are high school teachers.
1. Chapter 1

This is the sequel to _When you least expect it_. Robin and Patrick are both high school teachers and Robin does not have HIV.

Chapter One:

Robin looked at her husband as he drove them to work. She felt her heart beat faster at the strong line of his jaw and the simple masculinity of his hands and his thighs. His chest was broad and his mouth was sensual.

"You're freaking me out. What are you staring at?" he asked her, looking at her while he drove.

"The hotness that is my husband," she grinned.

He burst out laughing. "Hotness, huh?"

"Oh yes," she reached her hand over and rested it on his upper thigh. He felt his groin twitch and small beads of sweat break out on his forehead.

"Robin, we are on our way to work," he tried to keep his body from reacting to her touch, but that was like trying to pick up a single snowflake.

She shrugged. "What's your point?"

"Our work is at a high school, We are teachers, We teach teenagers, I can't stand in front of students looking like I am one of them," he said.

She laughed. "Being a fellow teacher, I can say with 100% accuracy, that you look nothing like any of our students.

"You say that now, but what happens when I am unable to stand up because you made me 'inappropriate'," he looked at her and she was adjusting her bra. She was trying to kill him.

She sighed. "Okay, you win. I will keep my distance," she smiled into the window. They stopped at the drive thru for their coffee and Patrick thought for a minute he should just ask for a glass of ice water.

Robin was in her classroom getting ready after leaving Patrick in the copy room. She smiled at how she affected him, but the truth was, she was incredibly in love with him and she had a hunger for him that never went away. They had been married for 3 months and things had been wonderfully normal for them. They had both been through so much since the beginning of the school year and now that it was winding down, she was looking forward to a long summer break. They were both teaching summer school, but it would be much less involved and leave plenty of time for fun. She looked up as her best friend Elizabeth stopped at the door.

"Hey, do you have a minute?" Liz asked.

Robin felt tears prick her eyes as she saw her best friend. Liz had been through so much in the past few months. She had been involved in a messy divorce from her husband Brad and she had suffered a miscarriage. Even though Brad was a jerk, Liz had loved her baby and was so excited to bring it into the world. Robin and Patrick had been with her every step of the way and she had been a fixture at their house, something none of them minded. "Of course, I'm so glad you're back."

Liz smiled as she walked in. She had taken some time off to deal with everything and had been seeing a therapist to help her with the loss of her marriage and her child. Today was her first day back. "Thanks. I'm just a little nervous. Do you think the kids will ask questions? What do I tell them?"

Robin sat down on top of a desk and motioned for her to sit as well. Liz did and Robin took her hand. "You are one of the strongest people I know. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do, and you don't have to tell anyone anything. Your students love you and they will be more supportive and therapeutic than you could ever imagine. Trust me on that one."

Liz nodded and they both turned when they heard a noise at the door. There was a man standing there, about their age, dressed in a suit. "Excuse me, I'm a little lost. I was hoping maybe you could point me in the right direction," he smiled and Robin saw Liz blush.

"Of course, come on in. I'm Robin Drake and this is Elizabeth Webber." Robin smiled at the man and nudged Liz.

"Hi, nice to meet you." Liz said softly.

"I'm Lucky Spencer, the new social studies teacher. I seem to have gotten completely turned around and my first class is coming up. Well I guess you both know that, seeing as you are both teachers. You are both teachers, right?" he looked suddenly worried.

Robin laughed. "Yes. I teach English and Liz teaches Science. My husband Patrick teachers is in your department. I am sure he would be happy to show you around."

"That's great, thanks." Lucky said, talking to Robin but looking at Elizabeth. Robin grinned and looked at Liz, who seemed flattered and not at all bothered by the attention.

"I'll walk to you your room if you want." Liz said.

Lucky beamed. "That would be great," he said and smiled at Robin. "Nice to meet you."

Robin watched them leave. "You, too," she grinned as she moved to get her things ready for her class.

Patrick looked at the clock and felt the day dragging. He hadn't been able to focus on anything except for Robin. He looked at the clock again and felt like a student, counting the minutes until school was out. He walked around the classroom while his students were working in groups and he gently turned their attention back to the task at hand whenever he heard them off topic.

He loved teaching high school and he loved the excitement each day brought. He never knew what to expect and he welcomed the challenge of working with teenagers. He also loved being so close to Robin. She was his heart and soul and he was so thankful they had made it through the craziness that had consumed their lives. He smiled when he thought about their wedding and how beautiful she was. He blushed when he thought about the honeymoon. "Mr. Drake," he heard a voice call out. Patrick looked and saw numerous students staring at him.

"What?" he asked, having once again lost track of time.

"You said you would tell us what our homework was."

"Oh, right," he shook his head and went to the board and wrote down their assignment. The bell rang and the students left, saying goodbye and waving. Patrick returned the smiles ad realized he was in trouble. He needed to get his mind off of his wife, his beautiful and sexy wife.

Robin made her way down the hall towards Patrick's room and smiled as she walked past Liz's room. She saw Lucky with her, talking and laughing and Liz looked happier than she had seen her in a long time. She kept walking and didn't look where she was going until she bumped into something hard. "Oh, excuse me," she said and looked up into a strange face. There was a man standing there, who she had never seen before and he had grabbed her by the arm, to keep her from falling. She immediately felt nervous, thinking about all of the things she had been through along with Patrick. Things had been going so well that the daily anxiety had all but gone away, until now.

"I think I'm okay, you can let go," she said, pulling her arm back.

"Sorry, excuse me." The man said and walked past her. Robin watched him go and felt another hand on her. She jumped and saw Patrick standing there.

"Oh, thank God it's you," she about crawled into his arms.

Patrick was concerned and led her to his room. They were very professional at work and never liked to show any displays of affection. Once inside he held her to him and felt her trembling. "What happened?"

She shook her head. "Nothing, I mean, I don't know. I walked into that man in the hall and he grabbed me by the arm and I freaked out a little, I guess."

"He grabbed you? Did he try to hurt you?" he was livid.

"No, I just walked into him and I almost fell. I think he was just trying to steady me. I am sure I am overreacting. Can we just go home?" she asked him.

He sighed as he held her to him again. When it came to his wife, there was never overreacting. Perhaps things weren't as over as they had hoped.

Chapter Two:

Robin walked into the house and tossed her bag down. She plopped onto the couch and ran her hand through her hair. She smiled as "Toots" their cat came over and rubbed against her hand. "Hi sweetie," she said as she scratched the cat's head. "Why does everything have to be so difficult?"

"Should I be concerned that you are having a conversation with a cat?" Patrick asked as he walked into the room, smiling at his beautiful wife.

Standing up and smiling, the petite brunette crossed her arms in front of her. "Only mildly concerned?"

He walked over to her and pulled her into his arms. "Can I ask what's bothering you?"

She forgot everything when he was so close to her. She breathed his scent and her mind was filled with thoughts of only one thing, him. He was a bit concerned with her silence.

"Robin, really, talk to me. What's going on?" he stepped back, breaking his spell on her.

She sighed as she sat down. "I don't know," she looked at him. "Why don't you think I'm pregnant yet?"

He didn't expect that. "We haven't been trying that long. Maybe we need to try harder?" he smiled at her.

She grinned. "I mean it, I just want to have a family with you, Patrick, and today, seeing Liz flirting with Lucky, it just hit me."

He wasn't following and his confused expression showed that.

She laughed. "I just see how messed up Elizabeth was with Brad, and how sad she was when she miscarried, and I look at us and how much we want to have a child and I just want that for us. I just want us to be happy."

Patrick sat down and pulled her onto his lap. "Robin, we are happy, completely. You are my world and I look at you and I am complete. I would love to have a child with you and I believe it will happen. We can't get discouraged, we just need to keep trying," he ran his hand up under her hair.

She nodded. "I know."

"There's more you aren't telling me," he said.

"That guy I ran into before we left, I think I remember him," she said.

"What do you mean? From where?" he was on alert and felt his heart beat faster.

"I'm not sure, but it scared me. I don't want anything bad to come at us again. I just don't want to start looking behind me again," she felt her eyes fill with tears.

"Baby, nothing is going to happen. Jason is in prison, Jody moved out of State, and Neil is dead. We are good," he said softly.

She sighed. "I know, I do, I'm sorry for being such a downer," she smiled and leaned in to kiss him. He intensified the kiss and she felt his hands under her shirt. She sucked in her breath as he ran his fingers over her bra-covered nipples. She backed away and smiled at him. "Let's have some fun."

He smiled at her and raised his eyebrows. "What did you have in mind?"

She picked up her phone and dialed as she walked into the other room. He was confused until his cell phone buzzed. "Hello?" he asked slowly.

"Hi," she purred into the phone.

"What can I help you with?" he asked her, playing along.

"Well, the night before our wedding, we had a conversation over the phone. I was wondering if we could reenact some of that conversation?" she asked softly.

He stood up and walked towards the bedroom. He looked at her and tossed his phone on the table. "I have a better idea."

She put her phone down and smiled. "What's that?"

He walked into the bedroom and was stopped by his phone. He looked down and saw it was his brother. He was set to ignore it when Robin's phone went off as well. She looked and saw it was Maxie. They both sighed and picked up their respective phones.

"Matt, just chill out, I am sure it isn't that bad. Look, why don't we meet for a drink and figure out what happened." Patrick said, looking at Robin. "Champs in 20 minutes?" he made sure Robin heard him. "Okay, see you there."

"Sweetie, I am sure he didn't mean it that way. Maybe you misunderstood him?" she held the phone away from her ear as Maxie yelled. "Look, are you on call or can you go get a drink and talk? Okay, good, meet me at Champs in 20 minutes. Okay, bye," she hung up and looked at Patrick.

"We have work to do," she said and walked over to him. She kissed him deeply and pressed her forehead to his.

"Shit, Robin, can't we just let them be miserable and continue what we were doing?" Patrick said as he hungered for her.

"I think we will have plenty of time for fun after we get them back together. Now let me change and we can go," she grinned and moved to her closet.

Robin met Maxie at the bar and she smiled as she sat down with her. Maxie was livid about something and Robin could only guess what Matt had done. Patrick's brother had been so good for Maxie. They began dating shortly after the wedding and things had been going well, or so Robin and Patrick had thought. Robin saw Patrick sitting with Matt at a corner table, out of view from them. Neither Matt nor Maxie knew the other was there, and Patrick and Robin planned it that way. "Sweetie, let's go sit down and talk."

Maxie got up and walked to the table with Robin. "It's not like I'm that difficult, you know. I can be reasonable." Maxie said, her words coming out in a rush. "I mean, I am a doctor, an Emergency Room doctor, I can't just tell the person who is dying on the table to hold on because my boyfriend needs me."

Robin smiled and nodded. "Honey, did Matt really ask you to leave work in the middle of an emergency?" she figured there was more to the story.

Maxie sniffed. "Yes, no, sort of. I mean, he wanted to take me out to a nice dinner and he had a big surprise planned, but I didn't know, and I kind of blew it off. He ended up sitting alone for hours, waiting."

"Did you call him and let him know?" Robin prodded her.

"No." Maxie said. "But I never do that, you know? Most men don't wait."

Robin smiled. "Matt really likes you, sweetie. You probably hurt his feelings. You know, the Drake ego's can be fragile at best."

Maxie wiped her eyes. "I like him, too. A lot."

"Women are pointless. I am never dating a woman again." Matt said to Patrick as they nursed their beers.

Patrick looked at his younger brother. "What happened?" he tossed a pretzel into his mouth.

"She stood me up. I mean, who does that? I'm handsome and professional and I treat her well. She made me feel like a kid at the prom who showed up alone," he took a long drink. "I am done dating women."

Patrick looked at him. "I know some men who would love a call," he smiled, referring to Jason.

"You did not just go there." Matt glared at his brother.

"Come on, man, lighten up. Maxie is a doctor and doctors have emergencies. She should have called, but maybe she was hoping you wouldn't push her." Patrick said.

"What the hell does that mean?" Matt asked.

Patrick leaned back and smiled. "Robin told me a lot about Maxie. She doesn't trust easily and she tends to leave people before they leave her. Maybe she was testing you, and you did what she expected."

Matt ran his hand through his hair. "So now what? How do I fix something I didn't even know I messed up?"

"Maybe we go and have that dinner now?" Maxie said and Matt turned around in his chair and saw Maxie standing there with Robin. Patrick grinned at his wife who walked over and stood next to him.

Matt stood up. "I could eat something," he said and Patrick groaned.

"Dude, really?" They all laughed.

Maxie pulled Matt to her and kissed him deeply. Robin smiled at her husband.

"Let's go." Patrick stood up and put some money on the table. They smiled at the couple and walked out.

Robin stared at Patrick as they drove. She looked at him and reached over to hold his hand. He turned and looked at her, smiling.

"I love you," he said, smiling his dimpled smile.

She smiled and moved to unbutton her blouse. "It's kind of hot in here," she said as she opened her shirt, revealing a red bra.

Patrick almost drove off the road. "Robin, what are you doing?"

She ran her hand over her breasts. "Nothing, just cooling off."

He felt his erection growing as she continued to fondle her chest. She turned the air on and pointed the vent at her skin, which made her nipples pebble and her skin pucker. "Shit, Robin," he murmured.

She reached over and ran her hand over his thigh, brushing his groin with her fingers. He did the best he could to drive as fast and as safely as he could back to their house. She leaned over as they were close to home and unbuttoned his pants. He felt his heart in his throat at the sheer excitement of what she was doing and the danger of it. He kept his eyes on the road as she ran her hands up under his shirt.

"Are we there yet?" she asked him seductively.

"I don't know about you, but I'm almost there," he growled as he pulled into their driveway. He turned the car off and they jumped out of the car. Robin walked in front of him and they barely made it to the door before he grabbed her and picked her up in his arms. He carried her into the house and straight into the bedroom. She pulled her shirt the rest of the way off and she pulled him to her, pulling his shirt off and running her hands over his torso. He laid her down and unclasped her bra, feasting on her breasts and moving his mouth down her torso. She writhed under his touch and he pulled her pants and panties off and moved his mouth back up her thighs, breathing in her scent and feeling his erection strain against his briefs. He pulled the rest of his clothes off and his shaft sprang forth, almost touching his navel.

Robin licked her lips as he hovered over her, teasing her and driving her wild. He moved down and in one quick movement entered her, gasping at the sensations he felt as she took all of him in.

"Oh God, Patrick, more," she said as she felt him stretch her in the best way possible. She wrapped her legs around him and held him to her, skin on skin, torso to torso. He lay almost totally on her, making their connection intense and profound. He rocked in and out of her and she felt her orgasm building as he moved in just the right motion. He could feel her muscles contract and she closed her eyes, deep in pleasure.

"Look at me, baby, let me see you love me," he said.

She opened her eyes and he covered her mouth with his. He thrust into a few more times and she cried out as he exploded inside her, filling her with all of him. He continued thrusting a few more times until his energy was spent and then he pulled out of her, collapsing in exhaustion. She lay next to him, both of them staring at the ceiling.

"Shit," he said.

"Ditto," she said.

He moved to look at her and traced a line down her torso. "Do you know what I think?"

She ran her hand up his arm. "What?"

"I think we just made our baby," he said.

She smiled through wet eyes. "I hope so, but if not, I had a really good time trying," she pulled him to her again.


	2. Chapter 3-4

Chapter Three:

Robin looked up from her desk at the clock and groaned when she saw there was still half of the school day left. She felt horrible, her head ached, her throat was sore and her body simply felt heavy. She put her head in her hand and her forehead felt warm. She picked up her school phone and dialed the main office to talk to Brenda, the secretary. She told her she wasn't feeling well and needed coverage for the rest of her classes. Brenda said she would figure it out and send someone up in a few minutes. Robin's next class didn't start for another 20 minutes, so she finished getting things ready. She knew Patrick was teaching, so she left him a message that she went home early. She was glad they had taken separate cars to work because he had a meeting after school. She finished packing her things and walked slowly to her car.

Patrick finished his last class and saw he had missed a call. He listened to the message and was concerned when he heard his wife's voice. She sounded terrible. He dialed her cell but it went to voicemail. He hoped that meant she was home sleeping. He thought about canceling his after school meeting, but he figured she would be angry if he did that simply because she was under the weather. He sighed and began getting ready for his next class.

Robin sat in the waiting room at the walk in clinic. She had decided to stop there on her way home because her throat was killing her and she knew how many of her students were out with strep throat. She sat in the corner of the room, trying to keep to herself and stay awake. She felt awful. Her cell phone rang and she looked down and saw it was Patrick.

"Hi," she said with a hoarse voice.

"Hey, you sound horrible. What happened?"

She smiled. "It just came over me quickly. I stopped at the clinic for some antibiotics in case it's strep."

"You went by yourself? I would have taken you," he said softly.

"You're sweet, but I am perfectly capable of having my sore throat looked at all by myself," she sighed. "I just don't want you to get sick."

"I'm fine. I'll be leaving shortly and then I will take care of you all night," he smiled into the phone.

"Promise?" she asked as her name was called.

"Promise," he said and they hung up.

Robin walked into the exam room and sat down as the nurse came in and took her blood pressure and checked her temperature. She felt a little better after talking to Patrick. It was amazing how he could do that, just by his voice. She looked up as the nurse wrote down some information. "Well, do I have a fever?" she inquired.

The nurse looked up, almost annoyed that Robin asked a question. "Yes, 100.3," she said and glanced at Robin. She put a gown on the table. "Take off your top and put this on. The doctor will be in soon," she turned and walked out.

Robin made a mental note to get her name. Shaking her head, she took off her blouse and put the gown on and waited for the doctor.

Patrick checked out of his meeting early and decided to go to the clinic to meet his wife. He had listened enough to the department chair pontificating about the right way to head into the summer and how much the kids were still able to learn in the last few months. Patrick laughed to himself as he thought of some of his students. They checked out months ago. He sighed as he pulled into the parking lot of the drug store, deciding to pick up some of Robin's favorite things before meeting her.

Robin smiled as the doctor finished his exam. He was really nice and she had immediately liked him, despite the nasty nurse who had come in first. "So, what's the verdict?" Robin asked him.

The older physician smiled. "Well, I don't think you have strep, but they are running the culture right now," he sat down and smiled at her. "I would like to run some blood work and a urinalysis."

Robin was confused. "Why? I thought I just had the flu."

The doctor smiled. "You might have a touch of the flu, but I wonder if there is a chance you could be pregnant."

Robin was beyond surprised. "Why would you think that?"

"You have been feeling run down and your system is out of whack. You don't appear to have any cold or sinus issues, and you wrote down on your form that there was a possibility of pregnancy." The doctor smiled. "You are welcome to go to your regular doctor for a test, I just thought since you were here, I would offer."

Robin really didn't even think she could be pregnant. She knew it was certainly possible, but they had gotten nowhere with trying. She looked into the kind eyes of the doctor. "Sure, we can run whatever you think we should."

"Okay, I will send the nurse in and then we will see what's up," he said and smiled as he walked out, leaving Robin cautiously hopeful that maybe this was something wonderful.

The nurse walked in and Robin groaned. Didn't they have any other nurses? She smiled at the woman, hoping to make some headway.

"Which arm?" The nurse said briskly.

Robin looked at her. "Are you having a bad day," she looked at the nurses nametag, "Helena?"

The older woman glared at her, "No, which arm?"

Robin crossed her arms in front of her. "You know, it wouldn't hurt you to smile. Sometimes it helps ease people's fears."

Helena looked at her and for a minute, Robin thought the woman might punch her. Instead, she began to cry, sitting down in the seat next to the bed. Feeling a bit sorry for her and more than a little awkward, Robin stepped off the bed and walked to the woman. She touched her arm. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry."

Helena looked at Robin. "You're right, I am a mean woman. My children left me and I can't see my grandson because of my strict ways. I just don't know what's wrong with me."

Robin looked at the door, praying for someone to come in. "How old is your grandson?"

"30," she said between sniffles. "He is a Prince of a man, so handsome and strong. He ran away to Greece to 'find himself'. Who does that at 30?" she kept talking and Robin just plopped down and listened. "And then there is my son Stefan, he and his brother Stavros took over the butcher shop from my ex husband and now, they have both decided to write me off. I became a nurse to help people and I am horrible at it. My life is worthless," she sobbed.

Robin looked at the woman and sighed. "Maybe you just need to figure out why your family is changing without you? Have you listened to them and understood their desires? Have you supported them no matter what, or have you put conditions on your love? I know from experience that sometimes, no matter how much we want to believe it can, sometimes what we think is right is actually wrong."

Helena looked at her. "Are you a therapist?"

Robin laughed. "No, a teacher."

Helena laughed. "Same thing."

Both women felt a connection and the tension left the room. Robin grinned as the woman stood up and collected herself. "Now, how about that blood test?"

Robin smiled "Sounds great."

They got ready and heard a loud commotion in the lobby, there was yelling and then screaming and then a gunshot. Robin covered her ears and Helena went to run out. "No," Robin said firmly. "Don't move."

Helena looked at her. "I need to help Dr. Luke. He and I have become 'close' and he is all alone out there," she was agitated.

"I know, but we need to be smart about this, we don't want to get hurt," she said and they both were quiet as they heard footsteps approaching their door.

Chapter Four:

Patrick got back into the car after leaving the drug store and smiled to himself as he thought about how much Robin would like the special treatment he was going to give her that evening. He pulled out of the lot and saw a bunch of police cars speeding by. He shook his head, happy for once that the police had no more need for them.

Robin stood up against the door and Helena stood behind her. They both listened for the footsteps coming towards them and neither one of them moved. After a minute of silence, they both stepped back and looked at each other.

"Do you think they left?" helena asked.

Robin shook her head no and whispered. "Don't move."

Helena looked at the door. "But Dr. Luke might need some help."

Robin could see the older woman was beginning to panic. Helena wanted to go out there, but Robin needed to make sure that didn't happen.

"Come on, just relax and let's wait for the police," she was going to say something else when the door swung open and two armed men came in, each grabbing one of them.

Robin didn't struggle; she just went along with the men. They tossed her into the waiting area where there were half a dozen other frightened patients. One of the gunmen held Helena tightly and asked her to open up the drug cabinet.

"We don't have a pharmacy here, just some samples." The older nurse said. "What did you do to Dr. Luke?"

Robin watched the other people carefully; making sure no one tried anything. She eyed the door and tried to figure out some sort of plan. She cursed herself for coming here and not just going to see Maxie at the ER, but she thought this would be quicker.

"The Dr. is thinking about what it means to disobey our orders." The man sneered. Helena began to cry and Robin stood up.

"Excuse me, but if she won't take you to the drugs, I can do it for her," she wanted them to let the nurse go.

"What do you know about it?" The man let go of Helena and walked towards Robin.

"Look, she is obviously too scared to help you. If she gives me the key, I will take you to the drugs." Robin said, not knowing really what she was doing.

The man walked over and grabbed Robin by the arm, yanking her to her feet and pulling her with him to the other room while the other gunman stood guard in the lobby. Robin realized the men were far apart in age and the one who held her was considerably older. She wondered what happened to make him try this.

Patrick drove to the clinic and was alarmed when he saw the street closed off near the entrance. There were at least half a dozen police cars there and officers standing around, guns pointed. He felt himself break out into a sweat as he pulled the car over. He walked out and was stopped by a cop.

"No farther." The officer said.

"My wife is in there, please tell me what's going on?" Patrick pleaded.

"The clinic has been taken over by gunmen. We believe there are hostages, but we don't think anyone has been injured." The cop said.

"Oh God, what do you mean you don't think anyone has been injured. Where is Officer Corinthos? Is he here?" Patrick was trying not to freak out.

"He is around here somewhere, I'll see if he answers his page." The officer called and Patrick strained to see beyond the police tape.

"Patrick, what's going on?" Sonny asked as he walked over to him after receiving the call. "What are you doing here?"

"Robin's inside." Patrick said.

"Oh no, are you sure?" Sonny asked.

"She wasn't feeling well and came to get checked out. I was going to meet her. Her car is still here." Patrick pointed to the Pontiac parked nearby.

"We are doing all we can. We'll get her out, I promise. You two have been through enough." Sonny said and motioned for the other officer to let Patrick walk farther inside. "Stay here by the barricade and I will let you know as soon as I know anything." They were all startled when they heard a series of gunshots go off inside.

"Oh God, Robin." Patrick cried.

Sonny and the other officers scrambled for their orders. Everyone waiting to see what they should do.

Robin held her hands over her ears as the shots rang out. "What is wrong with you?" she yelled to the man holding her.

"Just wanted everyone to know that we are serious. This is about more than drugs," he said.

"What do you want? Who are you?" Robin asked.

The man gripped her arm tighter and Robin swore she would have a permanent handprint on her. "I'm Alan and my son in there is Alan Jr. We are here to finish a job for someone."

Robin looked at him. "What kind of job is that?" she hoped to keep him talking.

"You ask a lot of questions." Alan said, but his demeanor seemed to soften. "My son got himself in a bit of trouble, so I am trying to end the cycle."

"By getting yourself killed?" Robin asked him.

"I don't plan on anyone getting killed, but my son needs to change his ways, and perhaps this will be what he needs to open his eyes." Alan said.

"I don't get it. How is this going to help him see things? What am I missing?" Robin asked as the man paced around the room, looking for something.

"You don't need to know the details. Just sit tight and you won't get hurt. We didn't think there would be so many people here at this time of day." Alan said.

"It's the middle of the day during flu season, what did you think?" Robin said and wondered if she pushed it too far. Alan glanced at her angrily.

"Now you shut up," he said and sat her down in a chair, binding her hands and feet.

Robin held in the pain she felt and prayed that the police would get to them soon.

"We can't just stand here, doing nothing, we have to go inside." Patrick said to Sonny. He was livid that the police weren't doing anything.

"Patrick, we have no reason to believe that anyone is injured. The eyes we have on the lobby show everyone being okay." Sonny said, knowing that wouldn't pacify the tall teacher.

"Don't you realize there are a ton of rooms in there? Do you have eyes on all of them? I'm calling Alcazar," he took out his phone.

"Alcazar is off on another assignment. He isn't going to run in every time we have a problem." Sonny said.

Patrick scowled, not knowing what to do. He called his brother and told him to find Maxie and tell her what was happening.

He looked at his hand and played with his wedding band. He felt tears prick his eyes as he thought about what she had already been through and how much she had overcome. How did this happen? He looked at the clinic and prayed for a way to help her.

Robin felt her wrists ache from the ties around her wrist and she felt woozy. She looked up as Alan stood in the hallway, whispering to his son. She tried to make out what they were waiting for, or what their plan was. She tried to move in her chair and they looked at her. "What are you doing?" The son asked as he walked in to her.

"Nothing, my arms hurt and I was just trying to adjust positions," she said.

He looked at his father. "Why did you bring her here, you should have just gotten rid of her."

Alan stared at his son. "We are not doing anything to anyone. That wasn't the plan."

"The plan is shot. I looked through all of the records and there is nothing to help us. This was a colossal waist of time." Alan Jr. said.

"I think we should let the hostages go and then surrender." Alan said.

"You're crazy." The son said. "I am no surrendering for anyone."

Robin watched the father son dynamic and tried to figure out an angle. She was going to say something when there was a loud commotion outside and suddenly the room filled with smoke. Alan and his son ran out to the lobby and Robin tried to get up. She coughed as the air became saturated with smoke and she couldn't see anything in front of her. There was a lot of yelling and then gunshots and she felt a burning sensation in her arm. She cried out in pain before everything went black.

Patrick was going out of his mind. The police had tossed in a smoke bomb to disorient the gunmen and then they stormed the clinic. People ran out and there were gunshots. Patrick scanned the hostages and with each one running out, he felt his heart sink at the realization that Robin wasn't one of them.

"Excuse me, have you seen my wife? She was in the clinic, about 5 feet 3 inches, long brown hair, tiny figure. She didn't come out yet," he asked one of the hostages.

"I think she was the one the big guy dragged to the back room. We didn't see her again, sorry." The woman said and ran to her loved one waiting.

Dragged her to the back? Patrick thought he might be sick. He moved closer to the building and saw the police yell about injuries. He felt time stand still as he waited and watched for his love.


	3. Chapter 5-6

Chapter Five:

There was so much commotion, so much smoke. It was hard to breathe and even harder to see. Her arm was throbbing and she felt the warm liquid of what she figured was her blood flowing down her skin. Robin tried to get up but she was still tied to the chair that lay on its side. The cacophony of noises invaded her thoughts and she didn't know if the people were getting closer or farther away. "Help me," She yelled as best she could, and then was overcome with a coughing fit from the smoke. Bad idea, she thought to herself. She focused on trying to remain calm and keeping her blood pressure under control. She needed to get out of there.

"Where is Robin?" Maxie asked as she and Matt ran up to the barricade where they saw Patrick.

Patrick turned to look at them and shook his head. "She is still inside, I think. They released the hostages but she didn't come out. Someone thought they had taken her to the back before the smoke bomb, but I don't know," he ran his hand over his face. "I need to go in there."

Matt shook his head. "And do what? Get yourself killed? If she is in there, they will find her. You need to stay safe for your wife."

Maxie was pacing. "Why did she come here? If she wasn't feeling well, I could have helped her. What the hell was she thinking?"

Patrick looked at her. "She didn't want to bother you and go to the hospital with a sore throat. The clinic is on the way home. Who the fuck would have thought this would happen?"

Matt looked at the two of them. "Let's just try to find out what's going on."

Sonny ran over to them and pulled off his mask. "We got the two suspects in custody. It appears all of the hostages are out, but there were a few injuries that the paramedics are tending to. One is an older man, a doctor, I think. I am still waiting for information on the other."

"What kind of injuries? You need to find out what's going on." Maxie yelled.

Patrick wasn't listening to them; he just had his eyes on the door, waiting for them to bring out the injured, praying she was okay. He saw them wheel out the doctor and they were working feverishly on him. It appeared he had been shot. He saw Maxie rush over to help.

"Oh God, what if she's shot?" he said aloud to no one.

"She is going to be okay." Matt said to his brother, knowing he had nothing to back up that statement. He looked over to Maxie and saw her in full medical mode, helping the doctor. He saw Sonny wave to him and he ran over.

Patrick watched the scene before him and saw them carrying out another stretcher. He burst thru the barricade and ran to the stretcher, his heart in his throat. He looked at the person and realized immediately it wasn't his wife. His heart fell as he saw them claim that everyone was out. He looked and saw Maxie working and Sonny and Matt talking. He turned and ran into the building, vowing to find her himself.

Okay, so maybe there is a reason they haven't found me yet. Robin thought to herself. She heard footsteps and she heard the police, but no one came to where she was. This was ridiculous, she thought. She had things to do and papers to grade and a husband who was going to be so worried. Maybe she could get out and get home before he even knew she was missing. She wondered what time it was. She kicked her feet again and tried to loosen the tie around her ankles. She finally was able to free her foot and she tried to kick at anything she could to make some noise. She prayed someone would hear her.

Patrick walked through the smoke filled clinic, looking for his wife. He could hardly see anything and breathing was difficult. He held his shirt over his mouth and nose to filter what he could. He called to her and listened for something, anything. He tried to make his way to the back of the building because that was the area the woman told him they took Robin. He felt his way around and walked into each room he found, feeling for anything. He found nothing, but kept looking. He came upon the last room and couldn't get the door open at first. He faintly heard a knocking noise and he knew it was coming from the room. He knocked back and yelled. "Robin?"

She thought she was hallucinating. How would Patrick have gotten here? She closed her eyes and summoned her strength again to kick the wall. Suddenly the door was opened and a tall figure walked in. She squealed as the person tripped over her chair and fell onto the floor.

"Shit," the voice said.

"Patrick?" she whispered?

"Robin? Oh God, is that you?" he scrambled to touch her, realizing she was tied up.

"Yes, How did you find me?" she sobbed and began to cough again.

He felt around for the ties, trying to free her. "Are you hurt?" he tried to untie the rope.

"Something happened to my arm, but I don't know what," she said as he finally got her hands loose enough to pull them out. She cried as her muscles moved from their position.

"Sorry baby," he said as he gathered her in his arms. "Let's get you out of here."

She held on as best she could as he got up and walked her to the opening of the clinic. He motioned for the paramedics and he saw Maxie and Matt run over to them as he placed her sitting upg on a gurney. The medic immediately put an oxygen mask on her and they all saw her left arm was completely drenched in blood. Maxie looked at the wound.

"You're okay, you're out now." Patrick said to her, smoothing her hair away and wiping the dirt from her face.

"I'm okay," she said through the mask.

Maxie looked at them. "It looks like the bullet grazed her, but didn't penetrate. You will likely need some stitches, but it should be fine.

Matt looked woozy, "Why is there so much blood?"

They all looked at him and smiled. "Do you need to sit down?" Maxie asked him.

Matt blushed. "No, just wondering why there is so much blood," he looked away from Robin.

"Come on, let's get you to the hospital." Maxie said and they put Robin in the ambulance, Patrick with her.

"I'll bring your car." Matt said to Patrick who nodded. They all made their way to the hospital.

"I'm fine, really." Robin said after they had stitched up her arm. She smiled at Patrick. "I just want to go home and take a shower and relax."

He held her hand in his own, not saying too much. He simply stared at her.

"Baby, talk to me, what's going on in your head?" she asked as she rubbed his fingers with her thumb.

He didn't get a chance to answer because the doctor came in. "You are all set to go home. Your vitals look good and your arm should be fine. We are waiting on the last few results, but I will call you when I get them. Keep the bandage clean and dry and follow up in a week with your doctor. I know the police wanted to take your statement, but I told them you needed to rest and would be available tomorrow."

Robin smiled. "Thank you."

"You can thank Maxie, she was very persuasive." The doctor laughed.

"How is Dr. Luke?" Robin asked. She saw Patrick look confused and she turned to him. "He was the doctor helping me. I think they shot him."

"He is in surgery, but he should be okay after they remove the bullet." The doctor said.

"Good," she took the discharge papers from the nurse and smiled at Patrick. "Ready to go?"

He nodded and helped her to the wheelchair. The nurse wheeled her out and Patrick followed behind.

They arrived back home and Robin walked in and sat down on the couch. She looked at Patrick. "Are you mad at me? You won't talk to me."

He felt his eyes fill with tears as he sat down next to her. "I'm sorry. I'm not mad. I just," He stopped and wiped his eyes.

She moved closer to him. "What is it?" she cupped his face in her hands.

"I was so scared, Robin. I was watching and waiting and I thought I would never see you again. I thought about all you have been through and how you keep fighting. I worried that maybe this was the time that you wouldn't be able to. I felt like I was dying," he said, ashamed.

She pulled him to her and held him. She rubbed his back and pulled away from him, looking into his watery eyes. "I love you and I will never, ever stop fighting for us. This was a freak occurrence and I'm okay. I am never leaving you," she looked at his beautiful face and he covered her mouth with his, pulling her closer to him and pressing their bodies together. He needed her, all of her, his heart and his soul.

Robin smiled as she touched his lips. "I need to get cleaned up. Want to help me?"

He grinned. "I would love to," he said and she walked into the bedroom with him close behind. She turned to him as she made her way to the bed and he helped her pull her shirt over her bandaged arm. He took her hands in his own and looked at the rope burns around her wrists. He brought each wrist to his mouth and kissed them softly. She pulled him to her and he met her mouth with his own when Robin's phone rang. They groaned and he looked at the number.

"It's the hospital." Patrick said.

Robin sat up and looked at him before she took the phone. "Hello?"

Chapter Six:

"It's the hospital." Patrick said.

Robin sat up and looked at him before she took the phone. "Hello? Yes, okay, you're sure? Okay, thanks, yes, I'll call tomorrow. Okay, thanks again. Goodbye."

Patrick stared at her. "Well, is something wrong? Was there a problem with a test?"

She looked at him and shook her head slowly. "No, nothing wrong."

"Then what is it? What did he want?" Patrick was confused and a little worried.

She looked at her wrists, which were bandaged, and her arm that was also covered. She closed her eyes for a minute and felt a wave of dizziness come over her. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her.

"Robin, hey, what's going on?" he asked her softly.

"We're pregnant," she said as she looked into his chocolate brown eyes.

His eyes opened wider and he wasn't sure he heard her correctly. "You're pregnant, right now?"

She smiled and nodded. "He called to say I am and I need to make an appointment tomorrow with my OBGYN," she looked up into his eyes and saw her tears mirrored in his eyes. "We're going to have a baby."

He gathered her into his arms and held her, both of them beyond excited. After a minute they broke apart and Robin put her hands on his face. "Thank you."

"For what?" he choked out.

"For giving me this amazing gift," she took his hand and put it against her stomach.

He ran his hand under her hair and pulled her face to his, meeting her mouth with his own. He kissed her softly at first and then with more intensity, turning her onto her back as she lay on the bed. He lay down next to her and continued his attention to her mouth and lips. He sat back and stared at her, her beautiful features soft and loving. He felt his heart swell at the happiness he felt and the intense love and commitment he had for her. He also felt a fierce need to protect his family; something he would make sure was a priority.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked him as she traced his firm jaw line with her finger.

He grasped her hand in his own and brought it to his lips. "I just can't believe a few hours ago I was worried that I would lose you, and now we find out you're pregnant, it's a blessing I don't want to ever take for granted. I love you so much."

She tucked his hair behind his ear. "I love you, too."

Robin sat in her classroom a few days later, grading some tests. She had some time before her next class and she was looking forward to getting some work done so she could relax later. She had been to the doctor the day before and had her first appointment with the OBGYN. Patrick wanted her to stay home another day, but she was fine and she needed to get back to normal. They had decided not to tell anyone about the pregnancy until they were another month or two along. Robin was especially nervous about telling Elizabeth because of the recent miscarriage. She knew Liz would be so happy for her, but she still felt a little weird being so happy. She heard a knock and looked up to see the new teacher standing there.

"Excuse me, do you have a minute?" Lucky asked from the door.

Robin smiled. "Of course, come in."

The handsome younger teacher walked in and sat down, facing her. He looked at his hands for a minute.

"How is everything going? Are the kids treating you well?" Robin tried to start a conversation, sensing he was troubled.

Lucky smiled. "So far everyone has been really nice. Patrick has been so great about helping me out with lessons and curriculum."

Robin smiled. "He wouldn't help you if he didn't think you were a good teacher."

Lucky looked at his hands. "I don't mean to overstep my bounds or anything, but I just wanted to thank you."

She was confused. "For what?"

"My dad is Dr. Luke, he works at the clinic on 8th." Lucky said.

Robin's eyes grew wide like saucers. "Oh my God, that was your dad? I had no idea."

Lucky nodded and smiled. "He told me about you and I just wanted to thank you for being there with him."

Robin felt tears come to her eyes. "Is he doing okay? I know he was shot."

"Yes, he is going to be fine. He will be in the hospital for a few more days, but should make a full recovery and be back at work in a month or so. Nurse Helena is helping to get everything organized and keep order while he recovers." Lucky smiled.

Robin grinned. "She was very nervous about your dad while we were in the room together."

Lucky rolled his eyes. "My dad and Helena have had a love hate relationship for years. Maybe this will wake them both up to how life is too short."

Robin smiled as she saw Liz walk by and wave from the door. She looked at Lucky. "I think that's a great lesson to learn. I tell Elizabeth that every day."

Lucky blushed at Liz's name. "I'll have to remember that."

Robin nodded. "I think that would be a really good idea. You know, if you were interested, Patrick and I would love to have you over for dinner one evening. Elizabeth could show you how to get there."

Lucky stood up. "I would like that, thanks. I also know my dad would love to see you if you're up for a visit in the next few days. He didn't believe me when I said you were okay."

Robin shook her head. "I would be happy to stop by. I'm really glad he is going to be okay."

Lucky walked to the door. "Me too," he smiled and left.

Robin grinned as she began to plan the set up for Liz and Lucky. Finally, time for some fun.


	4. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven:

"So how was the test this morning?" Robin asked Patrick as they had lunch in his room. He had been swamped the past few days and she missed seeing him.

He looked at her and grinned. "I think they did well, but I haven't graded everything yet," he stared some more and she blushed.

"What are you looking at?"

"You."

"I got that, but why? Is there something on my face?" she wiped her mouth.

"Not yet," he smiled as he walked over and pressed his mouth on hers.

She savored his mouth on hers and when he broke the kiss she touched his lips. "You can't kiss me like that here."

"But I missed you."

"I know, but you can't do that and expect me to be able to teach soon. I don't think I can stand up," she smiled at him. "I missed you too."

"I can't believe I have had these meetings all week. I am so glad they are finally finished and I can relax after school today. You know, it is Friday," he walked behind her and began to massage her shoulders.

She turned to mush in his hands and she leaned back into him. "I know. We have two full days to revel in each other."

"We don't even have to get dressed," he let his hands move down her neck.

"But we do have to work, so you need to stop that," she moved his hands and stood up. "You don't play fair," she reached up to pull him to her for a kiss. She pressed her tongue in his mouth and sucked on his bottom lip before releasing him from her grasp.

He took a minute to catch his breath. "God, Robin. Couldn't we just get a sub for the afternoon?"

She grinned. "Nope, see you in an hour and we will be free," she walked behind him and pinched his behind. He smiled at her and watched her leave. Grabbing his pen, he sat back down to do some more grading, trying to get his mind off of his beautiful amazing wife.

"You need to complete the reading before class, like I said. There is nothing I can do to help you if you don't do your homework." Robin said to her students as she wrote on the board. "I want to go over the humor and irony in Cyranos' words, but if you haven't read it, I can't do my job."

The kids muttered their apologies as she wrote questions on the board. She turned back to them and smiled. "I will give you 20 minutes to work in groups reading and answering these questions. If that doesn't work, we will have a quiz."

She sat down at her desk, happy that for the moment they seemed to be working. She also knew that since the end of the year was close, it probably wouldn't last.

A while later she collected the questions and waited for the bell to ring which would release them all for the weekend. She smiled as she thought of Patrick and the fun they would have when they got home. She also put her hand on her stomach, feeling the sense of excitement at knowing there was a life growing inside of her. She looked up as the bell rang and the students filed out into the hall. She decided to go and see Patrick before cleaning up for the weekend. She smiled to herself as she realized that she was acting like a teenager herself. She couldn't help it; he made her knees go weak. She dodged the kids in the hall as she walked towards his door. She looked inside the room and saw him talking to a student, so she waited in the hall.

"Hi Ms. Scorpio, I mean Ms. Drake." Robin turned as one of her students walked down the hall.

"Hi Julia, what are you doing here? You should go and enjoy the weekend." Robin smiled.

"I know, but we have a Track and Field meeting, so I need to get to the gym. Mr. Drake was awesome earlier. I didn't know he could break up a fight so fast." The young girl said and waved as she trotted away.

Robin saw the boy walk out of Patrick's classroom and she turned to go inside, needing to see for herself what had happened. Patrick saw her and smiled.

"Oh my God, what the hell happened to you?" she ran to him and touched his face which showed a nice shiner.

"It's nothing, I just got my face in the way of a teenage fist," he grinned. He saw she wasn't amused and he took her face in his hands. "I'm fine."

"When did this happen? Why didn't you call me?" she looked him over, trying to gauge for herself if he was, in fact, okay.

"Just after you left. Class was starting and there was a scuffle in the hallway. I went out to help break it up and one of the kids took a swing at the other and caught me." Patrick smiled. "I don't think there is any punishment that will scare him more than the look on everyone's face after he clocked me," he laughed and Robin scowled. "Anyway, the kids were sent to the office, I got some ice, and life went on. Robin, really, I had worse hits when Brian and I used to wrestle."

"Who the heck is Brian?" she asked him, thoroughly confused.

"Matt. I can't believe I called him Brian, he hasn't gone by that in years," he saw his wife's confused look. "My brother used to go by his middle name. His full name is Matthew Brian, but there was this incident when he was in grade school, and he started going by Brian. After high school, it just stuck."

"What kind of incident?" Robin asked him, helping him to gather his things.

"He was a chubby kid, you couldn't tell it now, but he was so self conscious about it. The kids gave him a nickname, fatty Matty. It was a really bad time for him and it was when my parents were splitting up, and I think after they divorced and he began to work out, he changed back to Matt. Sometimes we still call him Brian." Patrick took her arm in his as they locked his room and headed back to hers. "I don't know why that came out."

Robin opened her door and grabbed her bag, which was already packed. "Come on, let's go home so I can tend to your wounds."

He smiled and they left work.

Robin poured some wine for them after they got home and waited for Patrick to change. She had set out a blanket and some lotion in the living room. She had changed into a tank top and short shorts, which showed off every inch of her body without revealing what she wanted to stay hidden. She pulled her hair out of its clip and fluffed it around her shoulders. She looked up as he walked into the room.

"Hi," she stood up to meet him.

He about melted when he saw her, so sexy and so beautiful. He closed the gap between them in 2 strides of his long legs and he grasped her waist while she pulled his mouth to hers. She could feel him grind his hips into her and she could feel his arousal through his sweats. He looked down and saw her taught nipples erect under her tank top. She walked back to the blanket and sat down, pulling him down with her. She gently touched his face and leaned in to kiss his black eye. "Do you just want to rest? I don't want to hurt you."

He pulled his shirt off in a quick movement and she looked at him. "I want you. All I need to feel better is you."

She pulled her tank top off and revealed nothing underneath. He sat up and immediately took one of her breasts in his mouth, teasing her nipple with his tongue while massaging the other with his hand. After laying her on her back, he reached over and took some of the lotion she had brought in and squeezed some onto her chest. She sucked in her breath as the cool liquid hit her warm skin. He took his hands and placed both of them down on her chest, rubbing the lotion all over her torso. She reached up and pulled him to her, running her hands over his back. He covered her mouth with his and he lay his weight on her.

"I love you so much," she whimpered as he teased her skin. He traced her jaw with his finger and ran his hand to her waist. She picked up her hips as he slowly peeled off her shorts. Running his fingers over the skin of her inner thighs, she opened her legs for him, yearning for him to explore her.

"You are so beautiful," he said, his eyes glistening with tears. He leaned in and plunged his tongue into her mouth as he slipped 2 fingers inside her heat. She moaned into his mouth at the feel of his fingers against her center and she felt her orgasm building quickly.

"It's okay, Robin, let go for me," he said softly as he looked into her deep brown eyes. She felt him reach for the small bundle of nerves and she almost cried out as the waves of pleasure came over her. She rode out the sensation and looked into his eyes.

"Thank you," she said softly. She turned him over on his back and she moved to pull his sweats off, revealing his erect shaft hidden under the tight briefs. "That looks uncomfortable," she grinned.

"They were loose before. Look what you do to me," he said, straining as she brushed the bulge with her fingers. "God, Robin, this will be over too soon if you keep that up."

She reached down and pulled the briefs off, discarding his clothes and quickly wrapping her tiny hands around his pulsing shaft. He let out a growl as she worked him over, expertly making him come apart at the seams.

"I need you inside me," she said.

He turned her over on her back and settled between her legs, teasing her before sliding himself inside her tight walls. "Oh God, Robin," he moaned as he moved in and out of her, holding her thighs up close to him to allow deeper penetration. She was breathing heavily and he could see another orgasm building in her body. He knew he wouldn't last much longer, so he thrust a few more times and felt her walls constrict which sent him over the edge and he emptied himself completely inside her.

They lay there, together, and tried to remember who they were. "That was incredible," he said.

"I used to think milk and cookies were good after school." Robin said and they both laughed.

"Nice, Mrs. Drake," he said and held her tight.

Chapter Eight:

"So what do I say to him? Hi, sorry you got shot after examining me?" Robin asked Patrick as they walked into the hospital that evening to visit Luke. Robin was feeling a bit uncomfortable with what to say to the older gentleman.

Patrick had his arm lazily around her shoulders. "We will just say hello and tell him to feel better and then we can go for that walk you promised me."

She had her hand around his waist with her hand in his back pocket. "Sounds like a plan to me."

Elizabeth walked into the hallway and almost smacked right into them. "Whoa," Robin said and put her hands up.

Liz was flustered. "Oh, gosh, I'm sorry," she stammered and then saw who it was. "Oh Robin, Patrick, thank goodness it's just you."

Patrick snorted, "Thanks a lot."

Robin playfully smacked him. "What's up with you? Are you okay?"

She looked at her friend funny. "Of course I'm okay, why do you ask?"

"This is a hospital and you look flustered." Robin stated.

Liz blushed. "Oh, right, well actually I was here with Lucky, or I was here to visit his dad, or something," she muttered. "I don't know what I'm doing. I need to go. Talk to you guys later?"

Robin nodded. "Of course, if you're sure you're okay."

"Yes, totally okay, thanks." Liz said and walked away.

"Well that was weird," Patrick said.

Robin grinned. "Yes, but I think there is a logical explanation."

"Oh yah?"

"Lucky," she grinned.

"Lucky about what? Am I going to get Lucky?"

"I certainly hope not," she laughed at his confused expression. "Liz was here because of Lucky, Luke's son. She likes him and it scares her."

Patrick smiled. "I see, and why would that scare her?"

"Ugh you men are so clueless," she said exasperatedly. "Girls are sensitive and we tend to over think everything. Elizabeth just left her husband and lost her baby. She is understandably on edge and her guard is up. We have to help Lucky get to her."

Patrick sighed. "Of course we do."

She looked at him. "You just wait and see how happy it will make me to see my best friend happy. I will probably be willing to do anything when I'm that happy."

He leaned in and kissed her. "Lucky won't know what hit him."

"That's what I'm talking about," she laughed at the look on his face.

A while later, Patrick sat on the couch, sorting out the tests he had given earlier in the day. They had a nice visit with Luke and after an exhausting day and afternoon, he was looking forward to relaxing. His eye hurt a little and he just wanted to stay on the couch. He looked up as she walked in, carrying her own papers to grade. She sat down on the other end of the couch and put on her reading glasses. She had clipped her long hair up in a loose twist and she stuck her pen over her ear. Despite his exhaustion, he felt his blood pump faster to parts of his body.

"Did you take something for pain?" she asked as she looked over at him.

He hadn't said anything to her about it, so her words surprised him. "What do you mean?"

She put her papers down. "I can see that you are in pain. Your face hurts and you probably have a headache and we spent a long day at work and then our after school activities and then visiting the hospital, I am sure your body is fighting back."

He marveled at how perceptive she was. "I will take something in a little while. How do you feel?"

She raised her eyebrows at him. "I'm fine, why?"

"You did all of the same things and you're carrying my child. I think you win," he grinned.

"Not even close," she smiled. "It's Friday night, so we have nothing pressing tomorrow, what do you say we put aside the grading and order some Chinese and watch a movie?"

He loved her so much. "I would love that."

"Good because I already ordered," she grinned and he put the papers on the table so he could be closer to her. "I'm sorry you got punched in the face," she moved to him and kissed his cheek.

He pouted. "It does hurt a little."

"Poor baby, does this help?" she pressed her mouth over his and crawled into his lap.

"A little," he teased, moving his legs so she could sit between them. She moved so her back was against his chest and her arms rested on his thighs. She closed her eyes and he wrapped his arms around her. "Are you sure you're okay?"

She smiled with her eyes closed. "Totally, just tired."

He leaned back and closed his eyes as well, completely exhausted.

The next morning, Patrick got up before Robin and ran out to get some bagels and Danish for breakfast. He had been up for a while, watching her sleep and knew she was more exhausted then she let on. The job of a teacher was simply non-stop and they both had been dealing with so much this year. He was grateful the school year was coming to a close so they could both recharge their batteries. He worried about her, being pregnant and being so active. She wasn't going to let anything keep her down and he just wanted her to stay healthy. He knew he was feeling overprotective, but he couldn't help it. He walked into the house with the food and put it on the counter before feeding Toots who waited by her food dish. He scratched the cat's ears and took off his shoes, making his way to the bedroom to see if she was awake. He saw the light on in the bathroom so he knew she was up, but when he walked past the door he saw her sitting on the floor, her head in her hands.

"Robin? What's wrong?" he rushed into the room and dropped to the floor next to her.

She looked up at him, beads of sweat on her forehead. "Morning sickness, nothing big," she tried to smile, but moved to the toilet quickly.

He held her hair back as she dry heaved and then sat back with her as she tried to quell the nausea in her stomach. "What can I do to help you?" he asked her softly.

She smiled at him. "Nothing, it's fine, all par for the course," she moved and was confident for the moment that all was staying put. "I'm better, let's go back into bed."

He helped her up and they went back to the bed. She looked at him and realized he was dressed. "Where did you go?"

"To get breakfast so you could sleep in," he smiled as he ran his hand through her hair. "I guess you had other ideas."

"Comes and goes, I will be ready to eat soon," she closed her eyes and tried to calm her breathing.

He watched her and wished more than anything he could take this from her. He made a mental note to see what could be done for morning sickness and if he could help with anything. He saw her breathing even and knew she was asleep. He smiled and covered with the blanket before going into the other room to let her rest.

"Are you sure you're up to this?" Patrick asked her a few hours later.

"Yes, I am fine. I feel much better and have kept down my breakfast. I want that walk you promised me. It is a beautiful day and I want to enjoy it," she said, grabbing her purse and heading out to the car with him. He drove them to the nature preserve she had been reading about and after he parked, she grabbed her camera and he grabbed the picnic basket and they headed out.

Patrick walked with his arm around her shoulders and marveled at the beauty of the scenery around them. She wrapped her arm around his waist and leaned her head on him as they walked. He looked out to an area of grass that was a little secluded and walked her there, spreading their blanket out and placing the basket down before sitting down with her. He pulled out 2 small apple juice boxes and handed her one.

"How cute," she grinned as she put the straw in hers and took a sip. "A very good year."

He looked in the basket and pulled out some grapes. He handed her some and they ate in silence. "This is one of those moments," she said softly.

"What do you mean?"

She moved to sit with him and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back against his torso. "This is one of those picture perfect moments that will be in my head forever. These are the moments we will look back on as why our lives are so wonderful. I don't want to miss a thing," she wiped her eyes. "Stupid hormones."

He felt a lump in his throat. "You know what I think?"

"What's that?" 

"This is the first of many moments like this. I think next year we will come back with our muffin and make it a tradition. We are going to make our lives full of moments to remember, Robin. This is only the beginning," he tilted her face up to his and lowered his mouth onto hers, savoring the taste of the grapes and the apple juice on her lips.

"Muffin?" she asked as she wiped his mouth when the kiss broke.

He shrugged. "Just trying it out."

She smiled and wrapped his arms around her, holding his hands to her stomach, hers over them. "Muffin it is," she closed her eyes and just lived in the moment.


	5. Chapter 9-10

Chapter Nine:

"Are you excited?" Patrick asked Robin as they waited for the doctor.

"I am, but we probably won't really do anything today. It's the first checkup, not an ultrasound or anything. I just want someone to tell me when the morning sickness will stop." Robin sighed and leaned on his shoulder.

"Well I am excited to find out more about our muffin," he grinned, his dimple pronounced.

"You are the cutest daddy ever," she said and they turned as the doctor came in.

"Hi, I'm Dr. _Giambetti, but you can call me Max," he sat down and Patrick was a bit uncomfortable. Shouldn't the doctor be a woman? He looked at Robin who seemed comfortable, so he let it go. "How are you feeling?"_

_Robin smiled. "I have been having a ton of morning sickness. Other than that, I'm okay."_

_Max smiled and nodded. "You don't complain much, do you?"_

_Patrick smiled at him. "She never complains, drives me crazy."_

_Robin looked at him. "There is no use in complaining about things which are out of our control. I am grateful for this baby, so a little morning sickness will be tolerated."_

_Max looked over the chart. "I see within the last year you suffered a pretty serious injury which resulted in a stroke," he looked at her. "Have you experienced any problems with headaches or balance since you found out you were pregnant?"_

_"__No, I don't think so, is that something you expect?" she sounded concerned and he shook his head._

_"__No, not at all, but since your hormones are going to be running in overdrive for a while, listen to your body and if you feel the need to take a day off and relax, you should do that. Because of your history, I just want to be cautious." He looked at Patrick who had a look of panic on his face. "Do you have any questions?"_

_He shook his head. "No, I just want her to feel better. The nausea is really bad."_

_Robin smiled reassuringly at him, "I just have a hard time keeping things down."_

_Max wrote down the name of some foods that would help and told her to take vitamin b6 capsules. He gave them some more handouts and her prenatal vitamins before telling them when to schedule their next appointment. He left and Robin began to get dressed. She looked at her husband. "What's wrong?"_

_He shook his head. "Nothing, why?"_

_"__You are too quiet. I know you're worried about something," she stood up and reached for him._

_He moved to her and pulled her into him. She felt his arms hold her tightly and she let him have a moment before backing up and looking at him again, asking the question without words. _

_"__I just want you to be okay," he said softly._

_"__I am okay, more than okay. Let's go home," she put her hand on his chest and looked up into his eyes._

_"__Okay," he took her hand and they walked out._

_XXXXXXXX_

"So your doctor seems nice." Patrick said after they got home and were eating popcorn while they watched TV. They were both on the couch, she was leaning next to him.

"He is really great. Liz recommended him and I like him," she ate another piece; grateful her stomach was cooperating.

"But still, wouldn't you be more comfortable with a female doctor?" he pushed.

Robin sat up and turned to look at him. "You didn't like him?"

Patrick shrugged. "He seemed nice.

"But," she smiled.

"But nothing," he rubbed his chin.

"You're jealous of my doctor? You are so cute," she cooed at him.

He blushed. "I'm not jealous, it's just that he gets really personal with you and I don't like that."

She laughed. "He examines me medically, he doesn't get personal. You are the only man who can get personal with me," she crawled up closer to him and pressed her mouth onto his.

He tasted the mix of salt from the popcorn and the fruit of her lip balm and he licked her lips.

"Why don't we go into the bedroom and I can show you the kind of personal I only get with you," she ran her fingers down his chest and let her hand settle on his groin.

He smiled at her and stood up, pulling her up with him. They walked into the bedroom and she turned to look at him, running her hands up and down his torso. She led him to the bed and pulled his shirt off, leaning in and kissing his warm hard chest. He closed his eyes and licked his lips before pulling her shirt up and off. He leaned down and fused his mouth onto hers, her lips warm and inviting. He reached behind her and unclasped her bra, pulling it off and moving her to the bed. She lay down and he sat on the bed, looking at her.

"What is it? Why did you stop?" she ached to feel him.

"I love you, and I won't apologize for worrying about you or for being jealous when another man is around you," he shrugged. "I know it's weird, but I just can't help it."

She motioned for him to come closer to her. "I love you and I think you are absolutely adorable. I am happier with you then I have ever been in any point of my life. You make me feel whole and loved and Patrick, you are my husband, my lover and my best friend," she took his hand in hers and placed it on her stomach. "And look what we did together, we made a life and it is growing and thriving and that's because of our love. Let's just enjoy the moment and be together," she pulled him to her and wrapped him in her arms.

"I think I can handle that," he said and covered her mouth with his own.

Chapter Ten:

"Well, this is something I never thought I would do again." Patrick said as he buttoned his shirt.

Robin grinned and pulled on a sundress. "You knew being a high school teacher would mean chaperoning events."

"But prom? I thought I would never have to relive that night again." Patrick sighed, putting his shoes on.

She looked at him. "You had a bad prom experience?"

He looked at her as she put on her wedge sandals. "You didn't?"

She looked at her hands and then at him. "Is there a right way to answer that?"

He crossed his arms in front of him. "Seriously? I thought you were just as miserable as I was."

She laughed and then saw him pouting. "Oh, I'm sorry, of course it was miserable. I can't think about it without shuddering."

"Haha, very nice. Was he handsome? Did he have dimples?"

She pretended to think for a minute. "No, there were no dimples, and I wouldn't say handsome."

"Good," he walked over to her. "What was his name?"

"Elizabeth," she said and grinned. "I went with friends, no date needed."

He smiled and leaned in to kiss her. "Even if that's not true, thank you."

She feigned anger. "What do you mean if it's not true, of course it's true. So what was your date like?"

He mumbled something and turned away from her.

"What was that?"

"She left with another guy, okay?" he pouted.

"Oh Patrick, no, seriously? That seriously happened to you?"

"Yes, it seriously did."

"That bitch."

He laughed. "That's what I said."

"She didn't know what she was walking away from," she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him. "I have an idea."

He pressed his lips to hers. "What's that?"

"Let's have a new prom night tonight. After the dance, we should recreate what we hoped would have happened," she kissed his neck.

"Can't we just skip the dance?" he whined.

"Nope, we have a job to do. Let's go make sure nothing exciting happens to our students," she smiled and grabbed his hand, leading him to the car.

XXXXXXXXX

"Seriously, I never danced like that. It's obscene. I mean, I am no prude, but get a freaking room." Robin said as she stood with Elizabeth, They were both watching over the dance floor while Lucky and Patrick were stationed at the boy's bathroom. "I'm afraid to walk in there, I might get a disease."

Liz smiled. "Do you remember our prom? We were so sure it was going to be a night to remember."

Robin giggled. "Yes, not quite the evening of our dreams."

She saw a couple making out in a way that was beyond gross so she walked over. "Excuse me, let's keep it a little less obscene," she said in her best teacher voice.

"Sorry Mrs. Drake." The kids said and sat down at their table.

"No problem," she said and turned to see Liz grinning as Robin joined her. "What? It is not okay to be doing that."

"Did I say anything?" Liz looked at her with an innocent expression. "I just wondered when you turned into your grandma."

Robin was about to protest when Liz walked over to a couple who were dancing in a way that was not considered dancing. "Hey, keep it clean," she said sternly.

"Sorry Ms. Webber." The teens blushed.

Liz nodded and walked back to Robin. "What?" she asked with a smile.

"Nothing," Robin grinned and both women laughed.

"What's so funny?" Patrick asked as he and Lucky walked up to them. He stood next to Robin.

"Nothing, any excitement in the bathroom?" Robin asked and they all laughed. "Okay, that wasn't really what I meant."

"One guy drunk, but no open containers. How about you?" Lucky asked.

"I think we broke up some potential indecent acts, but nothing too exciting." Liz said.

Robin smiled at Liz and Lucky. "So Lucky, how is everything going at work? I hope you aren't having too much trouble adjusting because it is the end of the year."

The new teacher smiled. "No, Patrick has been really helpful with the curriculum and Liz has been invaluable to me with the kids and the politics," he looked at Elizabeth who blushed.

"I would help anyone who came in. I am just glad you seem to be happy here." Liz said.

"I am, and I am excited to work with you over the summer, developing some new curriculum ideas." Lucky said.

Patrick was confused. "But you teach Social Studies and Liz teaches Science."

Robin poked him. "I think it's always good to find lessons which reach across the curriculum.

Patrick realized what Robin meant. "Absolutely. Great idea."

They all smiled before the commotion interrupted them. They heard yelling and they all moved towards the sound.

"I am not cheating on you, we are not together and you are drunk." A girl yelled out.

"I am not drunk, you are totally using me. How could you do this?" A boy yelled.

Patrick and Lucky made their way to the boy who they recognized as Nik and Lucky took him by the arm. "Come on, let's go cool off."

"But she used me, she came with me and now she is leaving with someone else." The boy's lip quivered and Patrick felt terrible. He was that boy all those years ago.

Robin walked the girl, Becky, to another area of the room. "Why don't you take a break with your friends and let him cool off."

"He is a psycho. I didn't come with him and he won't leave me alone. He is a stalker and I don't care what happens to him." The teen spoke with venom and Robin looked at Liz for help.

"Did he hurt you?" Liz asked her.

"No, he grabbed my arm, but that's all. He is a jerk and I never should have come. I knew he would do this," she began to cry.

"Let me go tell Patrick what's happening so they can treat him accordingly," she said to Liz and walked to where they had left him.

Lucky was talking with the boy and Patrick saw Robin approach. He smiled at her until he saw her expression. "What is it?"

"I don't know if she is telling the truth, but Becky said he has been stalking her and grabbed her. She didn't come with him and he wont leave her alone. Just be careful, he seems unbalanced. Why don't we just get the Principal to handle this?"

He nodded. "Let me go fill Lucky in on what's going on and then we will take him to Henry," he said, referring to the principal.

"I'll go get Liz and Becky. They should also talk to Henry," she said and turned to go.

Patrick watched her and went to Lucky and Nik. He filled his friend in on what Robin said. "Nik, who did you come to the dance with?" Lucky asked.

"Becky."

"She said she didn't come with you." Patrick said.

"She is a liar." Nik said.

Lucky saw Henry approaching and he motioned for him to come over. "Nik here is having some trouble leaving Becky alone." Lucky told the Principal. Nik got a wild look in his eyes. Everything else happened quickly. There was a knife and screaming and then nothing.

Robin and Liz ran to the sound and both of them were shocked at the scene in front of them. Patrick was on the ground and Lucky was next to him. Nik was being held by the security from the venue and the Principal was holding his hand over his arm.

"Patrick? Are you okay?" Robin ran to him.

"I'm fine, just a scratch," he said and stood up. She looked at him and saw instantly that wasn't true.

"Patrick, hey, come here." Robin said and Lucky motioned for them to call an ambulance. Patrick looked at Robin and then at his shirt which was rapidly absorbing blood. He slowly sank to the floor and Robin held him as she put pressure on his chest. "Hold on, please. You're going to be fine," she said through her tears. "Oh God, where is the ambulance?" she cried as she looked at him, his eyes closed. She held him and pleaded with him to hold on and ignored the pain she was feeling in her stomach. She just needed him to be okay.


	6. Chapter 11-12

Chapter Eleven:

"I'm fine, really. This is ridiculous." Patrick said as he sat in a hospital triage bed. Robin was sitting next to him, waiting for Maxie.

"You were stabbed. What part of that is ridiculous?" she asked him.

"I wasn't stabbed. We took Nik down and the knife cut my chest. I was just stunned, but I am fine. I don't want to be here any longer," he complained.

"What happened? You were stabbed?" Matt rushed into the room and Patrick let out an exasperated groan.

"I was cut, not stabbed, and as soon as your girlfriend gives me the all clear, we are leaving." Patrick said.

"Dude, who gets knifed at the Prom? As an adult?" Matt asked, smiling after seeing his brother was, in fact, okay.

Patrick rolled his eyes. "Go home, tell mom I am fine and I will call her tomorrow."

Robin stood up. "I'll be right back," she said and turned to leave. Patrick watched her and felt terrible. He knew how upset she had been and he wasn't doing anything to make it any easier. He went to get up to go to her.

"Whoa, you aren't going anywhere." Matt said, moving to stop him.

"I need to talk to Robin. She was really freaked out about this and I need to make sure she is okay, especially now," he said, remembering that no one knew about the pregnancy yet.

"Just give her a minute and she will be fine," he smiled as Maxie walked in.

"So you are a lucky bastard," she said.

Patrick smiled. "Thanks, I think?"

Maxie crossed her arms in front of her. "You just have a deep slash, no internal damage. You will need a few stitches and some ibuprofen for pain and you will be good as new," she looked around. "Where is Robin?"

"She stepped out for a minute." Matt said.

"What did you do?" Maxie asked in an accusatory tone.

"Nothing, it has just been a long night. Can I please go home?" Patrick asked, anxious about Robin.

Maxie smiled. "Hold your horses. I will be back to stitch you up and then you can go," she smiled at Matt and walked out.

XXXXXX

Robin sat in the bathroom, trying to just breathe. She wasn't having any more pain, but she knew she needed to calm down. She just kept seeing him, passed out; bleeding, and she thought her life was over. He was okay, he just passed out and he was okay. She needed to just go home and relax," she walked out of the stall and washed her hands and splashed some water on her face. Taking a deep breath, she walked back to her husband.

Patrick was filled with relief when he saw her come into the room. "Hey, come here," he sat with his legs over the side of the bed, wearing a scrub top instead of his shirt. She walked over to him and sat down on the bed. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I'm fine. Can we go home?"

He stood up. "Yes, all set."

"Maxie gave me her car because ours is still at the school. We can pick it up tomorrow." Robin walked out with him, strangely disconnected from him.

They drove home in relative silence, Patrick sitting in the passenger seat. He watched her and could see she was holding on by a thread. She pulled up to their home and they walked in. Patrick took her by the hand. "Enough, look at me."

She felt her resolve crumbling when she caught his gaze. "I can't."

"Why not? I'm okay, look at me," he pleaded, his heart breaking at her being so closed off.

She turned and walked into the bathroom, emptying the contents of her stomach. She sat down on the floor and cried, her head in her hands.

Patrick moved to the bathroom and sat down next to her. He felt his eyes fill with tears. "Robin, baby, what is it?" he pulled her to him and she melted into him, sobbing. He felt his own tears fall as he tried to comfort her.

She pulled back and looked at him. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" she looked at his chest.

"You couldn't hurt me. Please tell me what's going on," he smoothed her hair down.

"Let's go into the bedroom," she said, standing up and helping him get up with her. They walked into the room and sat down on the bed. "When you were passed out on the floor, bleeding, I thought you were going to die," she said. "I couldn't think of anything other than losing you and how I wouldn't survive it," she wiped her eyes. "And then I started to feel pain in my stomach."

He stared at her. "What? Are you okay?" he felt an immediate tear at his heart at the thought of something going wrong with their baby. He put his hand on her stomach.

She looked at him. "I'm fine, everything is fine, but in that short span of time, I saw everything I love leaving and I just can't get that feeling to go away."

He pulled her to him and held her. "I am so sorry, Robin. I don't think I realized how much this affected you. I don't know why I didn't; goodness knows we have been through so much that it would only make sense to assume the worst. I'm truly sorry."

She looked at him. "You're really okay?"

He pulled his scrub top off and showed her. "8 Stitches, one large band aide, pretty uneventful, although I hope there is no scar," he grinned.

She smiled and finally felt better. "I think it builds character."

"I think you and I have built enough character," he smiled and pulled her to him again.

XXXXXX

Patrick waited in bed while Robin took a quick shower. He was sore, but happy he was able to get her to talk about what she was so worried about. He felt anxiety at her reaction and pain. He needed to be sure she remained calm. This baby was everything to them. He looked up as she walked out, her hair wet and his t-shirt on her tiny frame. She walked over and sat down.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

She nodded. "I am, sorry I freaked out before."

He smiled. "You have no reason to be sorry," he pulled her to him for a kiss. "I do have one request."

She bit her lip, as she wanted to taste more of him. "What's that?"

"No more chaperoning," he grinned and pulled her to him again.

She laughed against his mouth as she relished his body against hers. He was okay, truly okay and she was going to make sure they both stayed that way.

Chapter Twelve:

Patrick finished up his lesson and let his students work independently while he graded some papers. It was a few days after the prom and finally things seemed to be back to normal. He smiled as he thought of the stares and glances the kids gave him, like he had some sort of reputation. He knew many of them didn't have the whole story, and the rumors were fun to listen to. He looked up as the bell was about to ring and he told his class to put everything away and make sure they did their homework. The bell rang and he went to stand in the hallway.

"Mr. Drake?" Lila, a student of Robin's and now a friend of both of them walked up to him in the hall.

"Hi Lila, I haven't seen you in a while. How are you?"

"I'm good, thanks. I was actually wondering if you could give this to Mrs. Drake for me. I was supposed to hand in my assignment but there was sub and she said Mrs. Drake left suddenly this morning. I don't want it to be counted as late." Lila said and handed him the paper.

He tried to hide his panic. "Sure, Lila, I'll give it to her," he smiled and walked back into his room, closing his door. Robin had left? Why hadn't she told him? He ran to his phone and saw there were no texts or messages. He dialed her cell phone and it went straight to voicemail. He felt a sweat break over his brow. He called down to the office to find out when she had left.

"Hi Patrick. Yes, she wasn't feeling well, so she asked me to get someone to cover her classes. She didn't tell you?" Hannah asked him.

Patrick knew how much of a gossip Hannah was, so he decided not to give her anything. "She left me a message I am just seeing now, sorry to bother you," he hung up, not liking to lie, but not wanting anyone in their business. He called Maxie and she picked up the phone, giggling.

"What is it?" she said into the phone and giggled. He heard her talking to someone in the background. 'It's your brother, shut up.'

Patrick rolled his eyes. "You aren't at work?"

"No, it's my day off," she squealed and he could only imagine what was going on.

"Thanks, never mind," he said.

She hung up and Patrick sat down at his desk. He tried one more person.

"Hi Patrick, what's up?" Liz said into the phone.

"Hi Liz. I know Robin drove you to work this morning because I had an early meeting, but did she let you know if she was driving you home?" he asked, hoping for some insight.

"Lucky is driving me home because Robin told me she had an appointment after school, but I didn't know what it was about," she was quiet for a minute. "Is everything okay with her? Now that I think about it, she seemed a little off."

Patrick felt a little better that it seemed to be planned on Robin's part, and not an emergency. "Everything is fine, I just wanted to make sure you had a ride," boy, lying was just coming out so easily.

"You're sweet. I'm all good. Talk to you later." Liz said and hung up.

Patrick sighed, running his hand through his hair. He tried her cell again and still got nothing. "Think Drake," he said aloud. He tried to remember what she had said this morning, but then he realized he hadn't seen her. He needed to go to the curriculum meeting for Social Studies so he left early. He hadn't seen her at work in the morning. He picked up the phone and called the ER, knowing it was unlikely she was there without either him or Maxie being called. He asked if she was there and they told him no one by that name had come in. He felt relieved, but still unsure. Suddenly a thought occurred to him, a memory actually.

XXXXXX

"_Where are we going?" Robin asked Patrick as he drove them the next morning. She had slept most of the night and was feeling much better this morning. He had gone home late the previous evening and they had spoken on the phone until she fell asleep. He was glad to see her with more color in her face, her long hair pulled back into a ponytail._

"_You'll see. I think you need to get your mind off of things and I am going to take you to where I go to think," he said and smiled at her. She grinned and then turned to look out the window. After a few more minutes she turned to look at him. _

"_The zoo?" she asked him. "We are going to the zoo?"_

_He pulled into the parking lot and paid the attendant. "Do you have something against wild animals?"_

_She thought for a minute. "No, I love animals, that's why I teach high school," she joked and he grinned, happy to see her sense of humor was somewhat back._

"_Good, then just let me take you where I want and tell me later how you feel," he parked and got out, grabbing his bag from the back seat. He walked over to her door and opened it and she stepped out into the bright sunlight, putting her sunglasses on. She grabbed her sweater and carried it, in case it got cold. He held out his arm and she linked hers through it, marveling at who this man was and where he came from to rescue her._

_Patrick felt amazing as they walked and talked through the zoo. She was so relaxed and he found her personality coming through as she spoke to him about everything and nothing. He purposefully kept the conversation light, not wanting to push anything on her, but he also had a plan for that. He knew she needed to get more of her fear out, or another episode like the shower was bound to happen. _

_They walked up to the giraffe and ostrich exhibit and Robin stopped, marveling at the beautiful creatures. He watched her as she looked at the giraffes and saw one standing with a baby. She grabbed his arm and pointed to the baby. "Look at that, the mother is helping the baby to eat leaves."_

"_Cow," Patrick said._

_Robin looked at him. "Excuse me?"_

"_A female giraffe is called a cow," he smiled._

_She laughed out loud. "What else do you know about giraffes?" _

"_The male is a bull, the baby is a calf, they walk 15 feet with each step, they only sleep 5 to 30 minutes each day and their tongues are 27 inches long," he smiled at the last part._

_She looked at him, her mouth open. "Who are you?" she said._

"_I'm a history teacher," he said as he leaned on the fence._

"_Animal history?" she asked as she smiled at him._

"_No, but I focused my study on African society and the cultures are strongly linked to the animals of the regions," he said. "I have layers, you know," he pouted._

"_I am beginning to see that," she said._

_XXXXXX_

Patrick smiled as he remembered that day. He had been trying to get her mind off of what she had been through and he knew how much it had always helped him to just be with nature. He got up and grabbed his things, heading out to the car to see if she had the same thought.

XXXXX

Robin sat outside the giraffe exhibit and wiped her eyes as she looked at the magnificent creatures. She felt terrible that she ran out of work, but she felt like she was crawling out of her own skin. Something needed to change, but she didn't know what it was. It was like this pregnancy made her weak and she hated that feeling. Robin Scorpio was strong and fearless, and Robin Drake should be as well. She shook her head and sighed. She needed to call Patrick before he left and saw she wasn't there. She reached for her phone and realized she had left it in the car. She got up to leave, knowing he would be worried, but as she stood up, she felt a wave of dizziness come over her. She sat back down and just breathed in and out. Leaving would have to wait a little while.

XXXXXX

Patrick left the butterfly exhibit after looking for Robin. He was sure she would have been there, but he couldn't find her. The clouds were rolling in and it looked like a storm was coming. He felt a few drops and realized it wasn't coming; it was here. He didn't care about the rain; he didn't care about anything but Robin. It occurred to him that the fear he felt right now was probably a fraction of what she felt watching him bleeding on the ground. He felt like an idiot. He was soaked and defeated as he made his way back to his car when he saw her. She was sitting on a bench by the giraffes. It was where they first stopped when they had come to the zoo. He ran up to the bench and she looked up at him.

"I'm sorry. You must have been worried, I didn't mean to be here so long, I would have called, but my phone is in the car," she rambled and he pulled her to him, hugging her tightly.

"I'm sorry. I should have realized you weren't okay. I am an insensitive jerk," he said, stroking her cheek.

She shook her head. "No, you are amazing and wonderful. I am just a mess and I don't know why," she put her head in her hands.

"Robin, you are pregnant and your body is changing at a fast rate. Maybe you should give yourself a break and take it easy? I know I can do more to help with everything," he just wanted her to smile.

"I think we should go home," she said and sighed. She needed to get help but she needed to figure out what she needed help with. Did she need a psychiatrist? She just didn't know what was happening. She just knew something wasn't right.

"Come on," Patrick said and they stood up and walked towards the parking lot. He was nervous and didn't like how she looked or was acting. Something was off, but he didn't know what. They were both soaked to the bone and when they reached her car she held onto his arm. "What is it?"

She looked up at him and her eyes were wide. "Patrick, I don't feel well," she said and he caught her as she passed out.


	7. Chapter 13-14

Chapter Thirteen:

"Robin, hey, Robin?" Patrick held her in the parking lot. They were still in the rain and he grabbed his keys and picked her up, carrying her over to his car and putting her in the passenger seat. He ran to the other side and got in, holding her face in his large hands. "Robin, please, look at me," he said. She didn't respond so he took off for the hospital, calling Maxie on the way. He pulled up to the ER and got out, yelling for help. A gurney was brought over and she was rushed inside, Patrick following right behind.

"She is about 10 weeks pregnant," he told them. He shivered in the hospital as he stood outside the triage, his clothes dripping. He watched them work on her as they began to cut her wet clothes off before closing the curtain and shutting him out. He paced as he listened, trying to make out what they were discussing. She should have woken up. Why didn't she wake up? He was filled with anxiety when he heard Maxie call him.

"Patrick, what happened?" she rushed to him, still in her street clothes. Matt followed behind.

"She passed out while we were at the zoo. She said she didn't feel well and she just collapsed. I don't know what happened?" Patrick said.

Maxie nodded. "I'll find out," she walked into the triage and Matt stood by his brother.

"Why are you soaking wet?"

"We got caught in the rain."

"What happened? You called Maxie earlier and wondered if she was at work. Something is up." Matt said.

"Something is wrong with Robin." Patrick said.

"I know; that's why we're here." Matt stated.

"No, I mean, something she isn't telling me. She left work this morning without letting me know and she was just sitting at the zoo. Something is wrong, Matt and I'm scared," he said, wiping his face.

"We will figure it out. Try not to worry until we know what's going on." Matt said.

"There is something else." Patrick added. He looked at his brother. "Robin's pregnant."

Matt's face lit up and he hugged his brother. "Dude, that's amazing news! Why didn't you tell me?"

Patrick smiled. "We were waiting until the first trimester was over. We had a lot of trouble getting pregnant and I think we just wanted to be sure things were okay. Now, I don't know that it is," he was choked up again.

Matt looked at him. "Let's just wait and see what they find before you make any assumptions."

Patrick stood there, his arms crossed in front of him, his worry etched on his face.

XXXXX

Maxie looked over the chart as the labs were arriving and she furrowed her brow. "Shit," she said and walked over to her cousin. "Robin, why didn't you tell me what was going on?" she smoothed the brunette's wet hair away from her face and sighed. Robin was still unconscious which was worrisome in itself. She needed to go talk to Patrick.

The other doctors walked over and conferred with her and they decided what needed to be done. Maxie decided she would tell Patrick what they found. She followed them out and looked at the Drake brothers standing there.

"Oh God, what is it? I can see it in your eyes; something is really wrong." Patrick said; the fear evident in his voice.

"Let's go into a room, okay?" Maxie said softly. She looked at Patrick. "Do you want Matt here for this?"

Patrick nodded. "He can stay."

Maxie smiled at Matt and he knew she had to ask. They sat down and Maxie looked at them.

"We are waiting on a few more tests and a consult from the Oncologist, but I am fairly certain we are looking at a blood disorder." Maxie began.

"Oncologist? Cancer? Oh God, she has cancer?" Patrick felt sick.

Maxie felt tears come to her eyes. "We need to run more tests. I wish I had a better answer for you. I am hopeful she will wake up soon and maybe give us some insight on what her symptoms have been."

Patrick put his head in his hands. "What about the baby?"

"Right now, everything is fine. We don't need to think about anything else until Robin wakes up. You can go and sit with her if you want. I will go put a call in for the consult." Maxie said. She hugged Patrick and walked off.

Matt looked after her, knowing she was torn up and trying to keep her emotions under control. He looked at his brother who simply looked shattered. He wanted to split himself in two. "I'm going to sit with her," Patrick said.

Matt nodded. "What can I do?"

"Nothing. I don't know," he wiped his face and stood up. "I just need to sit with her."

Matt nodded. "Whatever you need, man."

Patrick walked to the room and saw her in the bed, her hair still damp, but drying. He stifled a sob as he sat down next to her and took her hand in his. "Hey, I'm here," he said softly.

She began to stir and he held her cheek with his hand. She looked so pale. How come he didn't notice that before? She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "What happened?"

He smiled at her. "You passed out. We are in the hospital."

"Is the baby okay?" she looked frantic.

He simply nodded, unable to speak.

"Oh, good. I'm sure it's nothing. I just got run down and a little spacey. I'm sorry I worried everyone. Can we go home?" she moved to sit up a little, but felt strange again. She closed her eyes for a minute and Patrick stroked her cheek.

"Are you okay?" he asked her, his tears evident.

She looked at him, seeing his tears. "What aren't you telling me? What happened?"

He looked into her eyes, his wife, his lover and he mother of his child. How could he tell her?

"What's wrong? You are scaring me." Robin said, looking at her husband.

"We don't know yet, they need to run more tests." Patrick said. He was relieved when Maxie came back in.

"I'm so glad you are awake, you really scared us." Maxie smiled as she walked to the side of the bed.

"Maxie, what's going on? I can see Patrick is scared and he won't tell me anything." Robin said as her tears fell.

Maxie sighed. "Patrick can't tell you anything because we don't know anything. Robin, you need to tell us how long you have been feeling badly."

Robin looked at her cousin and her husband. "I don't know, a while I guess, but there has been so much going on, I just figured it was stress. I have been really nauseous, but I know that's the morning sickness. I think I attributed everything to the pregnancy, but this morning, something weird happened."

Patrick took her hand in his. "What happened?"

She squeezed his hand. "I was teaching, and I felt like something was happening to me, like my middle was being squeezed and then my head, it was like I couldn't see out of the corners of my eyes or something. I was spaced out and I couldn't focus. I didn't know if I was going to faint or throw up. I called for a sub and I just went to the car and left."

"Robin, you could have gotten into an accident. Why didn't you call me? You could have been killed?" Patrick cried.

She let her tears fall. "You're right, I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking, I was scared and I just wanted to get away from the fear. I only know of one place where I feel completely safe, outside of your arms."

"The zoo," he said.

"The zoo? How is that safe?" Maxie asked, her confusion evident to anyone except Patrick and Robin.

"It's a long story, Maxie. Anyway, I sat there for a while but when I went to call Patrick so he wouldn't worry, I realized I had left my cell in the car. I went to leave and I couldn't move. I felt to out of it again, like my mind and body weren't connected. It was raining and I just sat there, knowing you would be worried," she spoke to Patrick and her tears kept flowing. "I'm so sorry, after everything we have been through, I would never want you to be worried."

He held her and rubbed her back. "It's okay, everything is okay," he spoke with an authority he didn't feel. He sat back and kissed her forehead.

"Robin, we have called in a specialist to talk to you and look over your results. There are some irregularities that may or may not indicate something serious." Maxie said.

"What kind of irregularities?" she pressed. "Is it the baby?"

Maxie shook her head. "No, the baby is fine. Your bloodwork has us a little concerned. Dr. Z will be in to talk to you soon. She is one of the best hematologist oncologists on staff."

"Cancer? Do you think I have cancer?" she began to panic. "That's why you were so upset," she looked at Patrick.

He sighed. "We just don't know what's wrong yet. I vote we wait for more information."

She leaned back and closed her eyes. "I think I'm going to be sick," She moved to get out of the bed and almost fell before Patrick caught her as they both sank to the ground. Maxie grabbed a bedpan and Patrick held her as she dry heaved into the basin. She had nothing in her stomach and she fell back against Patrick and cried. He wrapped her in his arms and looked at Maxie. "Can you give us a few minutes?"

"Of course. I'll be outside." Maxie said and walked out.

Patrick held her and let her cry. He felt her move to hug him and he gathered her in his arms and put her back on the bed. She lay back and he moved her matted hair from her face and sat on the bed, facing her. "I need you to look at me."

She covered her face with her hands and then wiped her eyes before looking at him.

"We can get through this, whatever it is. You are the strongest woman I know and I have faith that you can fight this," he took her hands in his. "You can't give up on me, I won't make it."

She squeezed his hands. "I'm so sorry, this is as much happening to you as me and I have been a selfish brat. I love you and I will do anything to be healthy and not shut you out."

He smiled at her. "You don't have to apologize to me, Robin. I just love you so much. I wish it was me and not you in that bed."

She shook her head. "No, I couldn't handle that."

They looked up as a dark haired doctor walked in. "Hi, I am Claudia Zacchara, one of the top hematologist oncologists in the Nation. Dr. Jones called me and I was happy to come in and consult on your case," she sat down and Robin liked her immediately.

"What do you think is wrong?" Robin asked her.

The raven-haired beauty smiled. "I am hopeful it's nothing. Looking at your history, there was a lot of trauma in the last year to your system, the least of which was a major head trauma and brain surgery. Your pregnancy complicates the tests we are able to perform, but I suspect Autoimmune hemolytic anemia," she saw them look scared. "It's actually highly treatable and would account for your pale appearance, exhaustion, light headedness and overall spacey feeling. We are going to do some more extensive labs and if that's it, we should be fine."

"What if it's something else?" Robin asked.

"Let's wait until the results are in before we play guessing games. I would also like to have a neurologist check you out."

Patrick looked at her. "Why? What else do you suspect?"

Claudia smiled. "Maybe nothing, but we might be looking at an autoimmune disorder. I would like another opinion."

Robin swallowed. "What kind of disorder?"

"Lupus or Multiple Sclerosis are possibilities. Lymes disease is also there, but you haven't been exposed to any ticks, so it is unlikely," she stood up. Right now you just need to relax and try to sleep. I will be back later with some results. You will be staying here tonight for observation."

They thanked her and when she left Robin looked at Patrick. "Okay, so those aren't so bad, we can deal with this."

He smiled. "Of course we can," he looked at her. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too," she said and closed her eyes and turned to the side while he rubbed her back.

Chapter Fourteen:

Robin sat up in bed, alone for a few minutes while Patrick had gone home to get some things. She had so much going through her head and she just didn't know what to do. She looked up as Elizabeth stood at the door.

"Want some company?"

Robin smiled. "Of course."

Liz came in and sat down, taking her best friend's hand in hers. "Talk to me, why didn't you tell me what was going on?"

Robin felt her tears come again. "You had gone through so much, and Patrick and I were trying to get pregnant when you lost your baby. I felt like it was selfish of me to bring any of these issues to you. I'm sorry."

Liz smiled. "Sweetie, you and I have been friends since we wore diapers. You have been there for me through the worst, but also the best, and you need to let me do the same," she looked at her friend and grinned. "So, are you pregnant?"

Robin couldn't help it; she smiled broadly. "I am."

Liz squealed and hugged her, both girls knowing just how much they both had wanted to be mothers. "Oh Robin, I am so happy for you guys," she said sincerely.

Robin wiped her eyes. "I know, but now, there are things we need to figure out, and I can't bear the thought of doing anything that might put this pregnancy in jeopardy," she put her hand on her stomach.

Liz nodded. "What are the doctors saying?"

"Maybe anemia, maybe Lupus, maybe Multiple Sclerosis," she began to cry.

Liz looked at her. "Okay, what does Patrick say about all of this?"

Robin took a deep breath. "He is the perfect husband. He says everything he should and has done everything I ask, but I am afraid that he won't do what I need him to do."

Liz tried to follow. "Robin, what are you talking about?"

"I won't do anything that will harm this pregnancy, and if that means compromising my health, then I that's what I will do. I know Patrick won't support that," she said softly.

Liz exhaled. "Can you blame him? My God, Robin, you are giving him no options here. He is helpless in all aspects of this. He can't carry the baby for you and he can't help you to feel better. You are taking everything from him by not allowing him to help you with any decisions you make. I am not saying that protecting the baby at all costs isn't what you should do, but you have to let him come to that decision with you."

Robin listened to her friend and knew she was right, but she was scared. "What am I going to do?"

Liz smiled. "I have been through a lot over the past few months. I lost my marriage because I didn't trust myself to know what real love was and I didn't think I deserved to be respected. I allowed myself to be treated like dirt and when it came time to leave, it almost destroyed me. You saw that, sweetie; you and Patrick picked me up and helped me to move on. That is so important, because what you both showed me was what it could be like to be in a real, loving and honest relationship. You love Patrick and he loves you, completely. I watched you two and I realized just what I had missed. You need to be his partner in this and allow him to help you."

Robin looked at Liz. "When did you get to be so smart?"

Liz grinned. "What can I say? I am brilliant."

Patrick walked into the room at that minute and smiled at the friends talking. "Am I interrupting?"

Liz stood up. "Nope, just leaving," she hugged Robin and squeezed Patrick's arm as she walked by.

Patrick walked over with a bag of things and sat down. He could see she had been crying and he leaned in to kiss her. "Are you okay?" he smoothed her hair.

She smiled. "Just had a good talking to by Elizabeth."

He raised his eyebrows. "Oh? Something I should know about?"

She took his hand as he sat on the bed, facing her. "I want this baby, more than I have ever wanted anything, but I am afraid of what's happening. I don't want to do anything that might put our child at risk."

He nodded. "I don't either, but you need to realize that there are a lot of options to what the doctor told us. We may not have to do anything that will put the baby at risk. I think we need to wait until we have a little more information before we worry about other decisions."

She felt her heart swell with love. "I love you so much, you need to never doubt that."

"I never have, I just worry that you will keep things from me because you don't want me to upset, but we are both adults and we made this baby together. Whatever happens, we will handle it together," he looked at her hands in his.

"Okay, I can deal with that," she smiled as she yawned.

"How much time before the doctor comes back in?" he asked.

"A few hours, why?" she asked.

He kicked off his shoes and got into the bed with her. "You need to rest, so I am going to see to it that you do just that."

She wrapped her arms around him and put her head on his chest. "My love, my strength."

He held her. "Ditto."


	8. Chapter 15-16

Chapter Fifteen:

Patrick and Robin were both asleep in her hospital bed when the doctors came in. Patrick woke up first and smiled as he smoothed his hair and got up. Robin woke up at his absence and they both shrugged. "Sorry, we don't sleep well apart." Robin grinned as he sat down but immediately took her hand.

The doctor smiled and pulled up a chair. "No apologies necessary. It is always helpful for a couple to be together through times that are stressful and it appears you both have quite the connection. It will only serve as a benefit to you, Robin." The elder doctor stood up and walked over, shaking Patrick's hand and Robin's. "I am Dr. Coleman, the chief neurologist here at GH. I was asked to consult on your case and I have some things I would like to go over with you both, if that's okay."

Robin nodded. "Of course, anything that will get me home sooner."

Patrick smiled. "Please, tell us what you found out."

The dark haired physician nodded. "I would like to ask you a few questions, Robin. Have you noticed issues with your eyesight at all? Anything from double vision, to problems focusing, to peripheral vision issues or what look like spots on what you see?"

Robin thought for a minute. "I have gotten dizzy and a bit spacey, but I didn't notice anything specifically tied to my eye sight."

Coleman nodded. "Okay, how about your balance or your gait. When you walk, so you find that you aren't always straight, almost like you are drunk but sober, if that makes sense?"

She thought again and sighed. "I have felt like the room was spinning when it wasn't and that if I moved, I would fall. It happened again at the zoo this morning, when I went to leave I thought I was going to end up on the floor, so I sat back down," she looked at the doctor. "I figured it was just stress."

He nodded. "Stress can be a massive trigger for certain neurological symptoms. I would like to do a quick neuro exam, if you don't mind. Your husband can stay."

Robin nodded and Patrick moved out of the way. The doctor had Robin sit with her legs hanging over the side of the bed. He told her to hold her hands out straight in front of her, palms up, and close her eyes. He had her touch his finger with hers and then touch her nose. He did this a few times while moving his finger to peripheral points around her. He had her squeeze his fingers as hard as she could and he checked her reflexes. He took out a safety pin and poked her in a few places on her hands and legs, asking each time if she could feel it. He checked her feet for abnormal stimulus response and he had her walk across the room a few times. When he was done, he pulled up his chair and Patrick moved back closer to the bed.

"You did great, Robin. I am not seeing any obvious neurological issues presenting on exam. There are a few tests I would like to do, all of which are perfectly safe during pregnancy," he smiled.

Patrick looked at him. "What kinds of tests?"

"Evoked potential tests to check the electrical activity in your nerves and if there are any issues with the messages being conducted. The test is painless and harmless and involves us hooking up wires to your head and giving you a series of tests while you simply let your brain react. The second test is a lumbar puncture. It can cause a small amount of discomfort, but it is a huge tool in diagnosing certain neurological diseases. We will be looking for certain bands or abnormalities in the spinal fluid."

Robin didn't like the spinal tap, but she knew it wouldn't hurt the baby. "Okay, when can we do these tests?"

"I will order them right away. There is also a lot of benefit to having a current MRI, but that could be harmful to the baby, so we will not do that unless we must." Coleman looked at them. "Any questions?"

"What are we trying to find or rule out?" Patrick asked him.

"I am fairly certain you have Multiple Sclerosis, but we need more confirmation," he saw her face fall and he continued. "I will be honest with you, while not ideal, MS has treatment options which can delay the severity of the disease and people can live full and normal lives relatively symptom free. The best news for you is that women who have MS seem to do remarkably well while pregnant. If the diagnosis is confirmed, we will wait to start any drug treatment until after the baby is born."

He stood up and smiled. "Robin, this is not a death sentence. While there is no cure, the treatment options and the level of research we have now have made living with this disease very manageable. I know it is a lot to take in, but the more you know, the better you will feel. I will come back later and I encourage you to write down any and all questions either one of you have."

Patrick nodded and thanked him, noticing Robin was quiet. Coleman walked out and Patrick sat down, taking her hands in his. "Baby, look at me."

She faced him, her eyes watery. "I'm so sorry, Patrick. Look what you got yourself into."

He smiled. "What are you talking about? I know exactly what I got myself into; a life with the woman I love," he cupped her cheek in his hand and she blinked, allowing her tears to spill down her cheeks. She covered his hand with her own and moved it off her cheek.

"This has to change things," she said softly.

"Only if you let it."

"What do you mean?"

He sighed. "You are the woman I love, the woman who is carrying my child, the woman who held my hand when we hardly knew each other after my brother was in an accident. You are the woman who made me the happiest man alive by marrying me. You are still all of those things and now I have even more reason to admire you. You can't let this break your spirit. Please believe in me and in us."

She looked at him and stroked his cheek. "You are simply the most perfect person I could ever hope to know. How do you do that? How do you take something that is horrible and make it sound like I just won a prize?"

He smiled. "Because you are looking at it the wrong way. It is just something else we will face together. We can face it. We will learn about it and we will give it the attention it deserves and we will live through it."

She smiled for the first time since Coleman left. "You are my hero."

He pulled her to him and kissed her softly. "Not even close."

XXXXXX

Patrick paced in the hall while they came in to perform the tests. He had called his brother and was waiting for him to arrive. It had been a rough afternoon and he was emotionally exhausted. He meant everything he had said to her, but for all he knew, there was so much he didn't. What did this mean for her daily health? Would she be able to care for an infant? Could she work? His heart was breaking at what this might mean for her and all she had worked for. Could she even carry a baby to term? He didn't know anything about this and he needed answers. The doctor had said women generally did well while pregnant, but then what? Was she going to fall apart right after? He felt his panic growing as his brother arrived.

"Hey, what's going on?" Matt asked, out of breath at getting to the hospital so fast. "Did you get some results?"

Patrick sat down and Matt joined him. "What is it, you're scaring me."

"They think she has multiple sclerosis. They are performing more tests, but the doctor is fairly certain." Patrick said.

"Okay, so what does that mean? Can they fix it?" he asked.

Patrick looked at him. "There is nothing to fix. There is no cure; she will have to live with it for the rest of her life."

Matt was trying to recall anything he could about the disease but he really knew nothing. "Okay, is there treatment? Talk to me; tell me what I can do? How is she taking it?"

Patrick sighed. "I'm sorry, I'm just overwhelmed. I guess there is treatment, but all I know is that she has to wait until the baby is born to take anything. That means 7more months of doing nothing," he wiped his face.

Matt nodded. "Okay, so how about we wait and see what the doctor recommends," he put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "Can I get you something to eat?"

"No, I'm okay." Patrick said. "Thanks."

"No problem, now you know you have to tell mom and dad about the baby. I can't keep a secret from mom, you know that. Dude, she is going to be so excited." Matt tried to cheer his brother up, but he could see it wasn't working. "Maxie is going to be down here soon, why don't you let her talk to you about what this means? I am sure there is a lot she can help you with."

Patrick nodded and got up as the anesthesiologist walked out. He looked at Patrick. "All done. She needs to lie on her back for a good half hour, but then she should be fine."

"Thanks," he said and looked at Matt.

"It's fine; go be with her, I will wait for Maxie."

"Okay, thanks," he smiled and walked in to see Robin. She was lying on her back and he felt his heart beat faster at her still position. He walked to the chair next to the bed and sat down.

"Hi, you should go home, you don't need to stare at me," she joked.

"I like staring at you," he took her hand. "Did it hurt?"

She made a face and put her hand up and pinched her fingers. "Just a smidge; he had really good hands."

Patrick kissed her hand. "What is that supposed to mean?"

She smiled. "Nothing, just trying to get you to relax. I'm fine."

He nodded. "Okay."

They sat in silence for a minute. "You know, with everything we have been through, I have decided that this will be nothing more than a hiccup."

He leaned in and touched her face. "You made that decision, huh?"

She locked eyes with him. "Yep, and you know that once I decide something, there is no changing it."

He smiled and leaned in to kiss her softly. "I am going to hold you to that."

She reached up and pulled his mouth to her again. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

Chapter Sixteen:

Robin sat up in the hospital bed later that evening waiting to be discharged. She had a ton of literature to read and for once, she didn't think she could look at it. Dr. Coleman had come by and confirmed her diagnosis from the spinal fluid, so there was really no more question. She moved a little, her back sore from the lumbar puncture, but she figured it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. She knew Patrick would be back to get her soon, but he wanted to take care of some paperwork at school for her and he knew if she didn't have everything set for her to be out for a few days, it would cause her stress. She stood up slowly, almost expecting her body to betray her and she would fall. She was pleased to see her legs seemed to hold her up just fine. She closed the door and walked to the bag of clothes Patrick had brought her. She took out her shirt and pants and felt her tears fall again. This was the first time she was putting her clothes on as a person with MS. She wondered if she would think of that every time she did anything? There was a knock on the door and she wiped her eyes, not having started changing yet.

"Robin? Can I come in?" Liz asked from the door.

"Of course," Robin replied and Liz walked in with Maxie.

"We thought you could use a friend." The girls smiled and pulled Robin into a group hug.

"You both are so amazing. I don't know what I did to deserve you." Robin wiped her eyes as she spoke.

"When can you leave?" Liz asked.

"I am waiting for Patrick to come and get me. He had to go to school and drop off some things for me."

"Robin, you know I would have done that for you," Liz said.

"It's good; actually, he needed some time to process everything. I am afraid with me, he feels like he has to be the perfect husband when he already is. He is scared and I don't want him to hold it in," she picked up her shirt and went to take off her gown. She winced a little from the pain in her back. Maxie went to help her and Robin began to cry. "What is it? Did I hurt you?"

"I don't want to have to have people help me. I don't want Patrick or our baby to have to feed me and dress me. I can't be helpless." Robin cried as she sat down on the bed.

Maxie felt terrible. "Sweetie, I wasn't helping you because you can't do it yourself, I was helping you because a Lumbar Puncture can cause some discomfort when you move," she hugged her cousin. "You are not weak and you can't look at yourself like that."

Liz walked over to her. "Robin, I have known you your whole life. You are anything but helpless. This is just something else you have to deal with and in a life full of trials and tribulations it is simply one more. You are going to be fine, you have to believe that."

Robin wiped her face and took on the look both women knew so well. "You're right, I'm sorry. No more wallowing in self pity. I have a baby to grow and that needs to be my priority. After that, we will see."

"I like that idea, but after the baby is born, then you will be a mom and you will raise your child with Patrick. I won't listen to anything else." Liz said softly and smoothed Robin's hair.

The petite English teacher nodded and pulled on her clothes. She hoped they were right.

XXXXX

Patrick dropped off the lesson plans and talked with the sub that would be filling in for Robin until the end of the week. They were told she should just take the next 2 days off to recover from the stress of everything. There were only a few weeks of school left anyway, so it wasn't a huge deal, but for Robin, he knew it wasn't something she liked. She had always been a stickler for being at work and only missing if it were absolutely necessary. This year had been trying on so many levels for her and he hated it. He got into his car and left the school, driving to the bookstore on his way to pick her up. He needed to know what they were dealing with and for both of them knowledge was power. He walked through the shelves of books and didn't exactly know what he was looking for until an associate interrupted him.

"Can I help you find something?" The young man asked him.

Patrick nodded. "I am looking for a book about Multiple Sclerosis."

The associate nodded. "Sure, you need to go to diseases and conditions. I'll show you."

"Diseases? Conditions? He started to feel sick. He followed the kid to the area and mumbled a thank you before perusing the titles. He found a few books and grabbed them. He didn't look; he just went to pay. He needed to get to her, to see that she was okay.

XXXXX

Robin brushed her hair as she sat in the chair, waiting for Patrick. Maxie and Liz had left a little while ago and she was trying to keep her mind from wandering. She held out her hands and looked at her fingers, seeing if they shook. She noticed nothing different. She sighed as she walked out of the room, carrying her bag. She didn't want to sit in there anymore. She walked to the elevator as it opened and Patrick walked out, smiling broadly as he saw her.

"Hey, I was coming down to meet you," she said as she reached up to kiss him.

"I'm sorry, were you waiting long?" he asked her as he took her bag from her shoulder. She was so beautiful and he just couldn't help how she affected him. He didn't want to, really, he loved the way his body reacted to her.

"No, I just didn't want to be in the room anymore," she reached down and took his hand as they walked back to the elevator. "Did you have any trouble at work?"

He shook his head. "Nope, you are free and clear until Monday," he pushed the button while they were in the elevator and she nodded.

"That's good," she looked down.

"Dr. Coleman dropped off a ton of things for us to look over before my next appointment. He also said to stay out of the heat. He thinks I passed out at the zoo from the effects of the heat," she spoke as they walked to the car.

"Okay, we will make sure the air is on at home, not a problem," he said and opened the door for her. She got in and he walked to the driver's side and began to take them home.

She was quiet and he watched her out of the corner of his eye. She was looking out the window and he could tell she was wiping her tears. He felt his heart break in a million pieces, as he knew she was thinking. He had to make her see what he saw, but he didn't know how. They drove in silence the rest of the way home and when they got there, she went into the bedroom to put on some lighter clothes. She smiled at Toots who was sleeping on the bed and pet her head as she sat down. She turned and looked at the nightstand and saw their wedding picture and picked it up, touching the glass covering over their smiling faces.

"Talk to me," Patrick said as he stood at the doorway watching her. He walked to her and took the picture from her. "Robin, this doesn't change anything for me. I need you to believe that."

She looked at him and stroked his cheek, smiling at him. "I believe you."

He took her hand in his. "Then talk to me, tell me what's going through your mind."

She sighed and stood up, walking to the dresser. She looked at herself in the mirror and he walked up behind her, putting his arms around her. She leaned back gently and felt completely protected. "I just want to be the wife you deserve, always."

He turned her around in his arms. "You are my everything, Robin. I wish you could see what I see when I look at you," he ran her hand through his hair. "You are the most amazing person I have ever met. You amaze me with your strength and your loyalty to those you love. You have made every part of me better. I am a better teacher because of how you push me. I am a better son because of how you never let me hide from my issues. I am a better man because of how you look at me. I am a better lover because of how you love me," he grinned and she blushed. "I am going to be a dad because of how you have blessed me," he put her face in his hands. "I am completely and totally in love with you and whatever you are dealing with or whatever you have to face, it is my honor to stand with you," he had tears in his eyes and she put her hands on his chest.

"How did you find me? How did I get so lucky?" she asked, her own eyes filling with tears.

He shrugged, "I ask myself the same thing every day," he leaned in and pressed his mouth on hers. She wrapped her arms around him and deepened the kiss, opening her mouth for his tongue and relishing the feel of him. He pressed his body against hers and she melted into him. He reached his hand up under her shirt until he felt her body and his own skin tingled at the contact.

She moaned into him and reached her hands up under his shirt. He pulled his top off and she looked up at him. "I love you so much."

He pulled her shirt off and watched her hair fall back down over her shoulders. "I love you, too. I don't want to hurt you, is your back okay?" he saw the tiny band-aid on her back.

She nodded. "I'm okay, I just need to take it easy."

He looked crushed. "Oh, well then I should probably stop what we are doing."

She smiled. "I think I may have an idea, if you're up for it."

He looked at her and smiled. "I think it's obvious I am."


	9. Chapter 17-18

Chapter Seventeen:

"So, what is your idea?" he asked her, his eyes twinkling.

She smiled and moved closer to him, running her hands up his hard chest. She leaned in and brushed her lips against his torso. She looked up and was about to say something, but something stopped her and she moved away from him, like a thought occurred to her that made her stop. "I'm sorry, I think we should just forget it; I'm going to go work on some lesson plans," she grabbed her shirt and he moved to stop her.

"Don't do that," he said gently, "Don't blow me off."

She didn't meet his gaze. "I'm not, I just changed my mind."

He sighed. "You are a terrible liar."

She finally looked at him and he hated the look in her eyes. "I was going to suggest we take a bubble bath because it would be easier on me to not lie on my back," she said softly.

He nodded. "And the problem with that is what? You love baths, I do too, especially when we are together."

She felt more tears come. "The doctor said that heat will bother me, so sitting in a hot tub means I might not be able to move well and so I don't think that's a good idea," she turned away from him. "I'm going to write lessons," she walked out of the room and left him standing there.

XXXXX

Robin paced through the house and tried to settle her anger. She was mad. She was mad about everything. She needed to get a handle on what was happening to her and she was at a loss. She walked over to the bag she brought from the hospital and she picked up the literature the doctor had given her. She looked at the pamphlets and then the drug information and she threw it across the room. She picked up her papers from school and threw them as well. She picked up the pillows off of the couch and threw them across the room. She felt her tears fall but she didn't care, she was just so mad at herself.

"When you are done, I want to talk to you about something." Patrick said as he watched her from the doorway.

She whipped around and saw him, not having heard him come in. She figured he would have just taken a shower or left for a while. "What is it?"

He walked to the couch, stepping over the debris littered on the floor. He carried something with him and she watched as he sat down. "Come here."

She sighed and sat down, wiping her eyes. "What is that?"

He looked at her. "Just listen," he said and read aloud. "Heat sensitivity is the number one issue people with Multiple Sclerosis deal with and although it is something to be aware of, there are many ways to deal with the issue without stopping everything enjoyable. Taking a hot shower or bath may be detrimental to someone suffering from heat sensitivity, but taking a cooler bath with the door open so the heat doesn't build up is a fine alternative," he put the book down and moved closer to her. "We just need to learn, baby. We can't look at what you can't do, but how we will learn how we can do things differently. Being creative is my specialty and if taking a bath with you in slightly cooler temperatures means I get to love you, then I say give me the ice bath. When we are together we generate our own heat. I think we should relax in the tub and then move to our bedroom," he smiled and his dimple was her downfall.

Robin looked at him. "What would I do without you?"

"Not have nearly as much fun," he said and his eyes were wet as he saw her finally smile.

She moved closer to him. "I'm sorry I am having so many mood swings. I just don't know where to put this."

He pulled her onto his lap. "What do you mean?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I tend to be very type A. I need to face what is in front of me and have a plan for working through it," she ran her finger down his chin as he smiled at her words.

"I noticed."

She rolled her eyes and grinned. "I put things in compartments in my head. When I face a problem, I figure out how to deal with it and what to expect and then I tackle it," she felt herself get choked up again and she took a deep breath while he cupped her cheek in his hand. "With this, I don't know what will happen, and I'm scared," she angrily wiped her tears away.

"I'm scared, too, but I think we just need to take it one step at a time. You are my wife and I love you. You are pregnant with our child and that is a blessing and a gift. We both know what it's like to struggle in our lives and I don't think you realize that you aren't alone in this. If you can't find a place to put it, I'll hold it for now until you can figure out where it fits," he ran his fingers down her arm.

She exhaled. "I do know I am not alone. I do know you love me and I am so in love with you. I just need you to be patient while I figure out how to live with this."

He decided to push something. "Why don't you say it?

She looked confused. "Say what?"

"You haven't said the words, Robin. Why not?" he saw her resolve crumbling.

She stood up and he did the same. He couldn't let her close herself off to this. He put his hands on her shoulders and faced her. "It's not a bad word. It's not a death sentence and it's not all you are. Don't give it that much power."

She nodded. "Okay."

"So?" he pushed.

She looked at him. "Don't use your teacher voice with me Mr. Drake."

He smiled. "I don't usually talk to my students while wearing no shirt."

"Usually?"

"Ever."

She smiled. "Good to know."

He stared at her.

"Can't we just go to the tub?" she asked.

"Not until you get it out."

She looked at him. "I have Multiple Sclerosis."

He felt his heart swell at how proud he was to be with her. "You also have an amazingly wonderful husband."

"Who is withholding sex at the moment," she said as she pulled her shirt off.

He looked shocked. "I am doing no such thing."

She walked past him toward the bathroom. "I am going to fill the tub."

He pulled off his clothes and followed her. She ran the water and made sure it was warm, but not hot. She heard him and turned to see him standing there, completely naked. She pulled off the rest of her clothes and he came up to her, enveloping her in his arms and covering her mouth with his own. She could feel his erection as he pressed his body to hers and she watched him as he moved to step into the tub. She watched him sit down and she joined him, facing him.

Patrick moved to the middle of the tub and she moved to meet him. She pulled his hands to her chest and he massaged her breasts and she reached down to wrap her hand around his erection. He plunged his tongue into her mouth and she matched his intensity. Their hands were everywhere and Robin finally allowed herself to let go of the worry and just be in the moment. She ran her hands over his muscular upper arms and he cupped her face in his hands. "You are so beautiful," he said softly as he looked into her almond shaped brown eyes. "I never want you to doubt my love."

She looked at him and smiled. "I never have and I never will. I am the luckiest woman in the world," she moved back and stood up, moving out of the tub and grabbing a towel. She kept her eyes on him as he stood up and joined her in the towel. They moved to the bedroom, dropping the towel along the way. Patrick got on the bed and she sat next to him, running her hands over his torso. "I never want you to doubt how much I love you, either. I have never loved anyone but you and I will always love you."

He smiled as she straddled him and he reached to help her position herself before she lowered her body onto his throbbing member. They both moaned as the sensations filled them and they rocked slowly. Robin buried her head in his neck as she loved him and her sensations were heightened with every move of his body. He held her to him like the gift she was and always would be to him.

Chapter Eighteen:

Patrick got his classroom ready the next morning, trying to focus his mind on the task at hand. He left Robin sleeping and she had told him over and over again the night before that he needed to go to work and she would be fine. He knew she would be okay physically, but her mental state was fragile. She seemed much better after they had reconnected and he got her to talk about her fears, but he knew one of the worst things was to sit alone and let your mind wander. He just wanted to go home. He heard someone clear their throat at the door.

"Patrick, hey." Lucky said as he stood at the open door to the classroom.

"Hi Lucky, come on in; what's up?" Patrick asked the younger teacher.

"I know we haven't been that close, but Liz filled me in a little on what you and Robin have been going through. I just wanted to let you know I am here if you need anything." Lucky said awkwardly.

Patrick smiled. "Thanks, man. I appreciate that. I haven't made a ton of friends here yet, well, a made one, but he turned out to be a psycho killer and the woman I was nice to ended up transferring after almost being killed by the psycho," he smiled. "You might want to reconsider your offer."

Lucky laughed. "Considering my dad is still recovering from the gunshot that he received while caring for your wife, I could say the same thing."

"Point taken." Patrick said. He walked over to the front of his desk and took a sip of his coffee. "I think we are okay right now, Robin is off until Monday, so I just hope she takes it easy. At least we only have a few weeks left."

Lucky nodded. "I know; that's good."

Patrick looked at him, deciding Lucky might be trying to discuss something else altogether. "So, how are things going with Liz? You two seem to get along really well."

Lucky shrugged and Patrick thought he saw the shorter teacher blush. "She is nice."

"Just nice? I hope you come up with something a little better when you talk to her." Patrick grinned to show his intent.

Lucky ran his hand through his short hair. "I am a bit out of my league with Elizabeth. I just don't know if she is ready to date anyone, let alone me," he crossed his arms and looked at Patrick. "You seem close to her, what should I do?"

Patrick laughed. "I am not the one to ask about women. I was really fortunate Robin stuck with me. I am not Mr. Suave," he saw Lucky's face fall and he decided to try another tactic. "Look, Elizabeth has baggage, I am sure you do as well. Instead of trying to be someone you think she wants, try to talk to her, be yourself and you might be surprised at her reaction."

"I am not a very interesting person." Lucky said softly. "I mean, I'm not a loser or anything, I just don't know what I have to offer," he seemed uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, this is totally inappropriate. You don't even know me."

"Whoa, slow down. You don't have anyone to talk to, so I'm here. I will let you know if you should back off." Patrick looked at him. "How about you and Elizabeth come over to our house for dinner tomorrow night? It will be Friday, so no work Saturday and Robin and I can help break the ice."

Lucky shook his head. "Are you sure Robin will be up to that?"

"Actually, I think it is what we both need, a little normalcy. I'll talk to her, but I don't think there will be any problem. I'll talk to you later and have her talk to Elizabeth," he saw the fear in the other man's eyes. "Come on, man, it isn't surgery, it's a double date. You might actually enjoy yourself." Patrick smiled.

Lucky finally smiled. "Right, thanks," he turned and left and Patrick rubbed his chin. They had their work cut out for them. He would call Robin in a few hours, since it was only 7am. He smiled as he thought about a conversation he had with Elizabeth shortly after he met Robin.

"_It's open," he said, not looking up from his desk._

_Elizabeth walked up to him. "Hey Patrick, do you have a minute?" she asked._

"_Of course, what's up?" he asked._

"_I want to talk to you about Robin, if that's okay," she began._

"_What's to talk about? She can't stand to be in the same room with me for more than a few minutes. I got the message. I'll leave her alone," he said and looked back down at his lesson plans._

"_That's not why I'm here. Actually, she doesn't know I'm here and she would be really mad if she did, but she is my best friend in the whole world and I want her to be happy. I think you could make her happy, Patrick. Don't give up on her." Elizabeth said softly. "There are some things about Robin that have made her very cautious. It isn't that she doesn't like you, she is just careful. I hope you keep pushing, she is worth the work." Elizabeth said in a voice that showed the emotion she felt for her friend. "Thanks for listening, and please don't tell her I was here." Elizabeth stood up to leave._

"_I'll think about it. You know, she is lucky to have such a great friend." Patrick looked at her and smiled. _

"_No, I am the lucky one. Robin is my family." Elizabeth smiled back and walked out._

Patrick laughed to himself. It was time to return the favor.

XXXXXX

Robin woke up about an hour after Patrick left. She lay in bed for a while, staring at the ceiling. She had a ton of thoughts running through her head as she reached over to Patrick's pillow, breathing in his scent. She was so lucky to have hi. She thought back to a year ago and how empty her life was. She was living alone with no social life, few friends and walls about the size of Mount Everest around her. She thought of Neil and Tony and Jodi. She thought of her attack and how she became so connected to Patrick. He had saved her from herself.

"_You can't help me, I don't think anyone can," she hugged her covers to her and lay down in the bed, crying softly._

"_That's where you're wrong," He said. "I can be here."_

_Robin looked at him, for the first time since the attack, her bruised face and red eyes searing into his soul. "Why?"_

"_I don't know. I just want to be here." Patrick cleared his throat as his emotions began to run over again and a single tear fell from his eye._

_Robin looked at him, trying to detect his sincerity, but utterly incapable of objecting. The meds they had given her to relax were working. She lay back down and closed her eyes, unable to muster any words, but she nodded her consent._

_Patrick pulled up his chair and sighed in relief, grateful for the small opening in her wall. He watched her close her eyes and breathe evenly. "I'm so sorry this happened, Robin," he began to speak as she slowly drifted to sleep._

Robin felt a renewed sense of strength and hated that she had been wallowing in self-pity for days. She was stronger than that and she knew it. Patrick had fallen in love with her for her strength and now it was time to be that woman again, not just for him, but also for their baby. She took a shower, making sure it wasn't too hot and wrapped her hair in a towel, walking out to get dressed. She looked at her body and thought there may be a tiny change to her stomach. Was she beginning to show? It was only three months, too soon, but maybe? She found the idea warmed her heart. She needed new clothes; a day of shopping would be in order. She got dressed and walked into the bathroom and towel dried her hair, grabbing the hair dryer and suddenly wondering to herself if it was okay to dry her hair. How much heat was okay? She really needed to know what her limits were. She figured she would just see how she felt. She was smart; she could navigate this one.

XXXXXX

Patrick smiled as the last student walked out of his class. He hadn't had a chance to call Robin since this morning when he had left a message on her cell phone. He was called into a meeting with the Principal and he had to administer a test at lunch. He had the last hour of the day off so he decided to close himself in his room and call her. He grabbed his cell phone and saw 4 missed calls. His heart sank as he saw they were from Robin. Oh God, he thought, what had happened? He knew if it were something serious, they would have gotten him from class, but still. He dialed her number and waited.

"Hey, where were you? I have so much to tell you." Robin said excitedly into the phone.

Getting over his relief at hearing her voice he had to chuckle at her fast-talking. "What happened? Is everything okay?"

"Totally, hold on," she said and he heard her talking to someone, then he heard her refer to an officer. He felt his heart beat faster.

"Robin, Robin, what happened?" he yelled into the phone.

"Sorry, had to finish my statement," she said breathlessly.

Okay, this was ridiculous. "Robin, talk to me right now. What happened? Where are you, I am coming to get you," he demanded.

"I am fine. No need to rescue me," she smiled into the phone. "I went to the mall to do some shopping and I started to feel a little tired, which made this chain of events go off in my mind. I figured I would collapse and not be able to move and then I would be bedridden and you would leave me," she rambled and he tried to follow. "You know how my mind wanders. Anyway, I was sitting there, trying to relax when the most amazing thing happened."

He couldn't help but smile at the excitement in her voice. "What?"

"Some guy started screaming that his baby was choking on a button," she said and Patrick again was confused. "He was frantic and no one was doing anything, people started to call for help, but the baby was blue," she spoke quickly again, the adrenaline still coursing through her. "Patrick, I ran over and grabbed the baby and performed the baby Heimlich like we learned in school. The button popped out of her mouth and she began to breathe." Robin felt her tears come again. "I saved her, Patrick. It didn't matter what was going on in my head at that moment, I did something useful and no one even knew I had MS. It didn't stop me from acting when I needed to and a little girl is alive because I could do it."

Patrick felt his own eyes wet with tears. "I am so proud of you, baby. You can do anything, never forget that."

She smiled wider. "But Patrick, I needed to know that. I know the faith you have in me, but I needed to get the faith back in myself. I am not 100% sure of everything, but today I realized I am not a different person, I am just carrying a bit more. When it was important, I could do what I had to. I will be able to do the same with our baby. I can be a good mother," she said, not realizing what she was saying.

His heart broke at her admission that she wasn't sure she would be able to be a good mother. He had no idea what she was struggling with and he needed to make sure she never doubted herself. "I love you so much, Robin."

She was quiet for a minute. "I love you too. Thank you."

"For what?"

"For reminding me I am worth it," she smiled.

"I haven't even spoken to you today," he grinned into the phone.

"I spent this morning remembering some things about you and me. I need to remember more about who I am and who we are together."

"I did the same this morning. I also have a project if you feel up to plotting something," he said cryptically.

"Oh, that sounds fun. Bring it on," She laughed and walked to her car as he told her about Lucky and Elizabeth.


	10. Chapter 19-20

Chapter Nineteen:

Robin was so excited to get everything ready for dinner. She knew she was off from work in order to take it easy, but this was too important. She had decided to make chicken and potatoes and a nice salad and fresh asparagus. She had gone shopping and had cleaned the house, and was sitting down for a minute before she got the chicken in the oven. She smiled when she thought of the possibilities between Liz and Lucky. Robin had never really liked Brad, but Liz thought he was the one, so Robin tolerated him. After Liz found out about Brad's affair, it was all Robin and Patrick could do to help their friend move on.

"Okay, Toots, we have a lot to do tonight. We have to play matchmaker and make Lucky get over his fears. It would be helpful if you rubbed up against one of them to help start a conversation. Can you do that?" Robin asked her little cat as she pet her head. "I think we all need to have something wonderful happen."

Toots purred and walked to Robin and stared at her. "What is it? I am fine; stop looking at me like that. I am trying really hard to be strong," she felt her tears come again. "Ugh enough with the hormones," she stood up and walked into the bedroom to change and wash up before starting dinner.

XXXXX

Patrick got home about an hour after school let out and smiled when he opened the door. It smelled amazing in the house and he saw she had set the table with their best china. He walked into the family room and saw her asleep on the couch, Toots lying at her feet. He felt a surge of love for her and moved to put his things down, not wanting to disturb her. He kicked off his shoes and turned to walk into the bedroom when he slipped on the hallway rug and crashed to the floor. "Shit," he said and tried to catch himself.

Robin jumped up and tripped over the end table, stubbing her toe. "Ow," she cried. She held her foot and turned to see him on the floor. She hobbled over to him. "What happened? Are you okay?"

He smiled at her sleepy disheveled look. "I was trying to let you rest," he pulled her down onto his lap.

"You get an 'A' for effort, but an 'E' for carry through," she grinned and felt her heart beat faster as his arms wrapped around her. "Did you hurt yourself?"

"Just my pride," he hugged her to him. "Did you stub your toe?"

"Yes, but I have 9 more. Maybe tonight after our guests leave, we can tend to our ills," she said as she leaned in and kissed him.

He ran his hands over her back and pulled her closer to him. She giggled. "Patrick, I have to check the chicken, we can't start something right now."

He growled in her ear. "I can be quick."

"Oh no you can't. There is nothing about what we do that can be quick. I need my time to love all of you," she ran her hands over his thighs.

"Really? You had to leave it at that?" he grinned.

"Come on, time to work," she stood up and reached her hand to him. He got up and pulled her to him one more time and fused his mouth with hers. He pushed his tongue over her lips and she granted him access to her. He pushed her against the wall and she reached behind him and ran her hands over his rear. She squeezed his behind and he nibbled on her neck. She could feel him getting hard and she released him and snuck out from his embrace. "Nope, not now."

He looked at her and sighed. "I am going to take a quick shower."

She grinned. "Have fun."

"Seriously? You are going to make me take care of myself?" he pouted.

"Yep, and that way, when we are alone later, the build up with be that much more intense," she turned and walked back into the kitchen, leaving him staring at her with a smile on his face.

XXXXX

"Robin, this looks amazing," Liz said as they all sat down to dinner. Lucky had arrived shortly before Liz and they had been making small talk while Patrick helped Robin get everything on the table.

"Oh, it was nothing," Robin smiled. "Just an average Friday night dinner."

Patrick covered her hand with his own and smiled at her. He was so proud of her and how she just continued to amaze him.

"So, Liz told me you guys grew up together." Lucky said as he took a bite of his salad.

"We did. Elizabeth and I met in kindergarten. She stole the candy butterfly off my birthday cake and I met her in the playground to discuss her choices with her." Robin said, laughing.

"That is so not true," Liz said and Robin laughed. "I'll tell the story the right way," she looked at Lucky, "Robin's birthday is 5 days before mine and we had to celebrate them together in elementary school. My grandma brought in the cake and it had these beautiful candy butterflies on the top, next to both of our names. I just happened to like the one next to Robin's name, so I took it."

Patrick smiled, trying to picture the two women as 5 year olds. He looked at Lucky who was mesmerized by Elizabeth. "How is that different than what I said?" Robin asked her with a grin.

Liz turned to look at her oldest friend. "Because I was the one who went to beat you up for crying about it in front of Jimmy."

Robin nodded. "Oh my gosh, I totally forgot about Jimmy, we both wanted him to like us."

"You were 5. You fought over boys at 5?" Patrick asked her incredulously.

Robin and Liz looked at each other. "He had gum," they both said and everyone laughed. Robin was feeling so much like her old self; it was just amazing.

"So Lucky, tell us a little about yourself. What made you become a teacher?" Robin asked him.

Lucky smiled. "I know it sounds funny, but I didn't really become a teacher for the kids," he took a drink of wine. "My dad is a doctor, as you know, and I never really had any desire to go into medicine. He was always pushing me to study science and math and all I wanted to do was explore things around me. We used to take these trips when I was younger, spending the summer in Europe and being on my own a lot while my dad worked in clinics. I found that I loved the history of the places we saw. I wanted to know what made them tick. I needed to find out why people were in the situations they were and how the world came to be the way it is. I just loved history and everything about it. Teaching was the logical way to be involved in the subject and share my knowledge. As long as it wasn't science related, I was good."

Liz smiled. "You know I teach science, right?"

He blushed and Robin and Patrick laughed. "Yes, and I know that, and I know from what I hear at school that you are the best there is. I just never was good at memorizing the periodic table. I didn't mean that I am not interested in science, I just struggle with the concepts."

Liz laughed, "Stop, it's fine. To be honest, I am not a fan of history." Patrick and Lucky began to protest. "Look, I know it's important and everything, but come on, it's so boring. Science is exciting and creative and innovative," her face brightened as she spoke.

"Maybe you could show me an experiment sometime." Lucky said and Liz blushed.

"Maybe," she said.

Robin looked at them and beamed. "Well, since none of you teach English, you don't know what you're missing. I have the market on all the fun."

All of them laughed and the tension finally eased out of the room and they all enjoyed the meal. After they finished eating, Liz stayed to help Robin clean the table and Patrick took Lucky into the family room.

"So, what do you think?" Robin asked her friend.

The lithe science teacher shrugged and played with the silverware she was clearing. "I don't know, I don't think he likes me very much."

Robin walked over to her and put her hands on her shoulders. "He likes you. Tell me what's really bothering you."

Liz felt her eyes grow wet. "It's been so long since a man looked at me with interest, Robin. I don't know if I'm ready. I don't want to screw it up."

Robin hugged her friend and then looked at her. "Try not to worry about what might happen and deal with what is. Lucky is here, obviously interested, and looking for an opening. Don't let yourself second-guess your worth. You deserve to be happy."

Liz nodded. "Thank you. I don't know how I would get through anything without you."

Robin smiled. "We are best friends and that's forever. Now let's go see our men."

XXXXX

Robin sat on the couch after Liz and Lucky left. Patrick was walking them out and she was exhausted. Everything had gone really well and she heard Lucky ask Liz out for coffee on Saturday. She smiled as she placed her hands on her stomach. "Maybe I should play matchmaker, little muffin," she said aloud.

"Who are you talking to?" Patrick asked as he sat down next to her.

"Muffin," she said and leaned her head on his shoulder.

He put his arm around her and smiled. "I think that was an amazing dinner. You outdid yourself."

"I am afraid I will pay for it tomorrow," she laughed.

"Why? Was it too much? Are you okay?" he touched her face, concerned.

"I am fine, just tired," she ran her fingers through his hair. "It's a normal tired, nothing more."

He nodded. "Sorry, I just worry."

"And I love you for that," she stood up. "Are you coming?"

"Where are we going?" he asked her.

"I though we had a date to finish, but if you are too tired, I can take a rain check," she smiled seductively and walked to the bedroom.

He was behind her instantly. "Let's not talk crazy."

She laughed as he picked her up and placed her on the bed. He pulled his shirt off and she bit her lower lip before removing her own shirt and pulling him down with her. He placed kisses all over her neck and traveled down to her rounded cleavage, running his tongue over the mounds of flesh. She moaned under his manipulations and he reached up and unclasped her bra, pulling the material down and tweaking her nipples with his fingers.

He moved down her torso and stopped at her stomach, placing kisses over their child. He felt her hands in his hair and he unbuttoned her pants and she lifted her hips so he could pull them down and off. He ran his hands up her legs and followed with his tongue, leaving a wet trail to her center. He peeled her panties off and she opened her legs for him to do what he wanted. He leaned up to look at her and as he claimed her mouth with his he placed a finger inside her, getting harder as she moaned under him. He worked her to a climax and he watched her come apart with his movements.

She pulled him on top of her and slowly turned them so he was on his back. She moved down his torso, placing her mouth on flesh that usually remained hidden. She moved to his pants and could see the outline of his arousal. "That looks uncomfortable," she grinned at him.

"Maybe you could help me with that?" he asked.

"I'll see what I can do," she smiled as she unzipped his pants and pulled them down and off. She moved back up and leaned into him, brushing his groin with her breasts and causing him to moan loudly. She moved to his waist and pulled down his briefs, allowing his erection to spring forth. She moved to him and took his shaft in her hands, rubbing her hand up and down, enjoying the feel of him and relishing in his soft moans. She straddled his thigh and he could feel her wetness as she leaned in and took him in her mouth, gently massaging his torso with her hands. He didn't know how much longer he could hold on.

"Robin, please," he panted. She released him with a pop and moved up to his face.

"I love you," She said as she covered his mouth with hers. He wrapped her in his arms and flipped them over gently before plunging into her, both of them gasping at the feelings caused by their bodies. He began thrusting in and out of her and she wrapped her legs around his thighs, deepening his penetration. She clenched around him and made their sensations almost unbearable. He laid on her as they both met their release and she wished they could stay like that forever. She felt whole, completely and totally loved and respected and she knew that with everything they were facing, that was what was most important.

"My love, my life," he said to her, tears in his eyes. "You are everything to me," he moved off of her and placed his hand on her stomach. She covered his hand with her own and they both reveled in their love.

Chapter Twenty:

It had been an uneventful few days and both Patrick and Robin were happy that things seemed to be calming down. Robin had an appointment with Dr. Coleman for her first real check up in his office and she was excited to go and get some more questions answered. They had one more week of school left and although tired, she had been working with little problem. She looked up as someone was at her door.

"Hi, can I help you?" she asked the young man who stood there. He was tall, with stringy dark hair that looked like it hadn't been washed in days. He wore jeans and a t-shirt with holes in it. He looked like a student, but she didn't recognize him at all. Since everything had happened with Jason and Neil and Jody, every visitor was required to check in and wear a visitor pass to be allowed in the building. She was not contacted about any meetings, so her guard was up.

"Are you Ms. Scorpio?" he asked her.

"Who would be asking?" Robin asked.

"Are you her?" he demanded.

Robin reached for her phone and picked it up. She dialed Patrick before the boy came over and pushed the button, effectively hanging up her line. She jumped up and backed away from him. "Get out of my room."

"I just need to talk to you. I need to know if you are Ms. Scorpio, please." The boy pleaded, looking like he was about to cry.

Robin reached for her cell phone in her pocket and pulled it out, doing her best to hide it. She had learned from her students the best way to secretly text. She sent Patrick a message, hoping she got it right.

"Can I call someone for you? What's your name? Are you a student here?" Robin asked him, trying to remain calm.

"No, I need to talk to Ms. Scorpio and find out what she knows about my dad," he said.

"Who is your dad?" Robin asked, feeling less like he was there to hurt her and more like he needed help.

"You should know who I am," he said.

XXXXX

Patrick was talking with Lucky after school in his classroom. He was going to be meeting Robin in about a half hour and they were going to her appointment. He told her he would talk to Lucky and try to get some details about what was going on between him and Liz.

"So what happened when you went for coffee?" Patrick pressed him.

"We had coffee." Lucky said smiling.

The taller history teacher grinned at him. "Nice, will there be more coffee's?"

"Maybe even some wine." Lucky said and they both laughed. "Seriously, thanks to you and Robin, I really think there could be something between us."

"Good, but if you hurt her, I'll kill you." Patrick said seriously and saw Lucky's eyes get bigger. "Just saying," Patrick grinned and they both laughed.

"Speaking of Liz, I need to go talk to her. I'll see you later?" Lucky said.

"You bet." Patrick said and smiled as he watched Lucky leave. He felt his phone buzz and picked it up, smiling at the number before he opened the message.

"Need u" was all it said.

He ran down the hall towards her room. Her door was closed and he tried to open it, but it was locked. He knocked and called to her. "Robin, are you in there?"

There was no response. "Robin? Please open the door," he said again. He turned to run to the office and get a key and some help.

XXXXX

Robin heard him knocking, but she was instructed not to speak and she didn't want anything to set him off. She felt her heart break at how worried Patrick was going to be. "Look, I have had a rough year, and my husband is going to be worried when I don't answer. I would be happy to talk to you about whatever you need to know, but I really need to go right now."

"I need you to help me," John said.

They both looked up as the door opened and Patrick stood there with Lucky. They rushed inside and Robin stood up quickly, grateful for her husband. "What the hell is going on? Are you okay?" Patrick pulled her into his arms.

"I am. I was just telling John here that I have to go, but I would be happy to talk to him later." Robin smiled a thin smile at John and grasped Patrick's hand in her own.

Lucky turned to motion to the security guard. "Why don't you and I escort John out of the building?"

Patrick could feel Robin leaning on him and he was worried. "Thanks," he said.

John looked at Robin. "This isn't over. I need to know what happened." John said and was threatening in his tone.

"Get away from her and get the hell out of here." Patrick said firmly. He wanted to physically remove the twerp but he was afraid to let go of Robin. He could feel her trembling next to him. As soon as John was led out, Robin turned and collapsed against Patrick. He held her to him and felt her hold on for dear life. "Hey, it's okay. I'm here, it's okay," he tried to soothe her as he helped her to sit down. He cupped her face in his hands and knelt in front of her. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No, he didn't do anything, I was just scared," she went to wipe her face and her hand was shaking. She worried suddenly if that was her fear or the disease.

Patrick could see her mind wandering and he took her hand in his. "Look at me. You are okay, it's just adrenaline. Look into my eyes and relax," he spoke in a soothing tone and she felt herself calming down. He smiled. "I love you."

She exhaled. "I love you, too. I'm sorry you were scared."

He shrugged, "I wasn't that scared," he grinned as she rolled her eyes. "Okay, so I was petrified, but I just couldn't handle it if anything happened to you," he felt his eyes grow moist.

She touched his cheek and stroked his face with her fingers. "I think we should take some time and go somewhere secluded. I need some time to be with my husband."

He smiled and covered her hand with his own. "I will take you anywhere you want to go," he stood up and pulled her up with him. "Shall we go home and you can tell me what happened?"

"We need to go to the doctor's appointment. I don't want to miss it," she said as he put his arm around her.

"I don't think we should go. I think you should go home and relax," he protested.

"No, I'm okay. I want to get some answers to my questions and I don't want to wait any longer," she put her arm around his waist.

He grabbed her purse and bag. "Okay, your wish is my command."

"Promise?" she asked and he nodded as he leaned in to kiss her.

They walked out to the car and Patrick opened the door for her and she got in. He closed the door and looked around, feeling like they were being watched. He surveyed the area and saw nothing, so he walked to the drivers side and got in. "All ready?"

She smiled. "Whenever you are."

They drove away, completely unaware of the stringy haired boy who watched their every move.


	11. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One:

Robin and Patrick arrived home after the doctor's appointment. They had picked up a pizza and both of them were tired and needed to talk. Dr. Coleman had given them a lot to talk about and both had been quiet since they left the pizza place.

"I am just going to wash up and then we can eat." Robin said.

Patrick nodded. "Okay, I'll get things ready."

Robin walked into the bedroom and pulled off her clothes before walking into the bathroom. She thought about what Coleman had said and really felt better about some things. She washed her face and pulled her long hair up into a ponytail. She pulled on a tank top and her yoga pants and walked back out to Patrick.

"Feel better?" he asked her as he smiled at her refreshed appearance.

"I do, but muffin is hungry," She sat down at the table where he had set up plates. She watched him pour them each some lemonade. "I think the morning sickness has finally lessoned.

He sat down and took her hand in his. "I love you, you know that, right?"

She held his gaze. "Of course, why do you ask?"

He sighed, "I just can't stop thinking about something the doctor said."

Robin tried to figure out what he was referring to. "Tell me what you mean." The doctor had spoken to each of them individually as well as together and she was worried about what Patrick might have been told.

"Dr. Coleman talked about the feelings of isolation and depression that people newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis tend to feel. He talked about how important being supportive is and how so many people leave when confronted with this diagnosis. He said if I couldn't handle it, I should figure it out and leave sooner rather than later," He ran his hand through his hair.

Robin felt tears prick her eyes. "Patrick, you are the most amazingly supportive man I have ever known."

He looked at her. "I would never leave you. I love you so much it scares me sometimes. I never want you to feel alone or isolated. I just need you to hear me. I am here for the duration."

She looked into his eyes and reached over to touch his face. "I know all of that. We made our vows to each other when we got married and I know how seriously we both took those. I am pregnant with your child and we have an amazing life together. I have never and will never doubt your love and commitment to me and our muffin."

He smiled. "Okay."

"Okay?" she said to him.

"Okay," he said softly and smiled. He looked at the pizza. "Shall we eat?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Robin grinned as she reached for a slice.

"So what did the Dr. tell you when I wasn't around?" Patrick asked as they ate.

She chewed and took a drink of her lemonade. "He told me to listen to my body and not look at the test results. If I am feeling good, go with it, because that is what matters. If I feel tired, I need to rest and sometimes just sitting for a few minutes will help me," she took another drink and looked at him. "But he said something that really struck a chord in me and it made sense."

Patrick took a drink of his lemonade. "What was that?"

"He said that MS doesn't happen overnight. He made the point that I have probably had this disease for years and just didn't know. He told me that when I look in the mirror I should see the same person I always have. I am no different than I was a month or a year ago. I kept looking at myself as broken, or damaged, but I am the same person I was when you met me. I just have more information now," she smiled at him. "It made a lot of sense."

"That does make sense." Patrick said and liked the information. It somehow put things into perspective. "Let me bring up another subject."

She took another piece of pizza. "Okay."

"What happened in your classroom? Who was that kid?" he asked her.

"I don't know. He kept asking me if I was Ms. Scorpio. He wanted to know about his dad," she said. "When I went to call you he ran over and slammed his hand on the phone, cutting it off."

"Did he hurt you at all?" Patrick asked her, hating that she was targeted again.

"No, I was just scared. After a while, I began to feel like he was just desperately trying to find some information, and he didn't want to hurt me," she sat back and sighed. "I asked him who is father was, but he wouldn't answer me. He said his name was John, but I'm not sure that's even true."

Patrick got up and began clearing the plates. "He had better not come near you again. I didn't like anything about him and the way he looked at you just creeped me out. I am so glad we only have finals left this week and then we are both free."

Robin nodded. "I know. I can't wait," she said as she helped him clear the table. He put the dishes in the sink and she walked up behind him. "Leave them for now. Let's go relax."

He turned and smiled at her before walking into the family room and settling on the couch with her. She snuggled up against him and he put his arm around her. She rubbed her hand over his chest as she closed her eyes, exhausted from the day. All she needed was her husband with her and she knew that everything would be okay.

XXXXX

"I still think we should get a new doctor. I don't like him." Patrick said as he drove Robin to their first ultra sound appointment. He had been complaining about Max being Robin's doctor all morning.

"Look, I like him, but if you don't and you really feel uncomfortable, then I can find a new doctor. We are in this pregnancy together, and I need you to be okay with everything." Robin smiled at him from the passenger seat.

He grinned; displaying his dimple, which they both knew would make her agree to anything. "No, you need to be comfortable and you like him. I just don't like him looking at you."

"He kind of has to look, Patrick. You do know how babies come out, right?" she joked with him.

"I don't want to talk about it," he said and pouted. He pulled up into the doctors' office parking lot and parked the car.

"I love you," she said sweetly.

He melted at her tone. "I love you, too."

XXXXXXX

Robin lay there with Patrick at her side, holding her hand. She was wearing a gown and the doctor had already performed the exam and now they were waiting for the ultra sound. Robin smiled at Patrick. "I think my belly is bigger."

He looked at her. "I think you are perfect."

She rolled her eyes. "It's okay you know. I am going to get fat. You can acknowledge it."

"There is no right answer to a man's part of this topic, so I shall continue to just say that you are perfect," he smiled and leaned in to kiss her.

"Are you both ready?" Max asked as he walked in with the nurse.

"Yes, ready to see our baby." Patrick said. He felt Robin squeeze his hand.

"Okay, now the gel is cold, but we should be able to get a nice view in a minute," Max said as he ran the probe over Robin's abdomen. The two teachers tried in vain to read the screen and pick out the blob that was their child. They both had no clue what they were looking for.

"Okay, here we go," Max said. He began pointing out the different parts on the screen when he became quiet.

"What's wrong? Is something wrong?" Robin asked him.

Patrick looked at her and then at the doctor. "Do you see something?"

Max looked at the scared parents and smiled. "Well, I certainly see something. This here is your baby. It is hard to make out the specifics, but here is the heartbeat," he pointed to a flutter on the screen. "It is too soon to hear anything yet, but soon," he moved the probe a little. "And this is your other baby. Here is the flutter of the heartbeat," he grinned at the teachers.

"I'm sorry, did you say other baby? Like two babies?" Patrick asked.

Robin's mouth was open, shock all over her face.

"Do twins run in either of your families?" Max asked as he printed the pictures and told the nurse to wipe off Robin's belly.

Patrick shook his head. "No, not in my family."

Robin blinked. "No, I don't think so."

Max laughed. "A little shocked? Don't worry, there will be plenty of time to plan for twins. Right now you both need to just continue to take care of each other and Robin, you need to take it easy and avoid stress. I am glad you are off work for a while; it will be good to just relax. I will see you again in 3 weeks. We need to treat this as a high-risk pregnancy simply because of your newly diagnosed Multiple Sclerosis and the fact that you are carrying multiples. Please call me if you have any questions. Okay?"

Patrick and Robin nodded, still stunned. Max and the nurse walked out and Patrick looked at his wife. "Two babies?"

She exhaled. "Two babies?"

They both broke out with huge grins. Patrick pulled her into his arms and held her while they both felt their eyes grow wet. "I love you so much," he said.

"I love you, too," she laughed as they both touched her belly.

XXXXXX

"I just don't see what we are looking at. Does that make me a horrible mother?" Robin asked as they stopped at a diner after the appointment. Patrick was holding the picture Dr. Giambetti had given them from the ultrasound. The babies were about the size of beans, so there really wasn't anything to see, but Patrick kept looking at it.

"I think it's amazing. Look, it has your eyes," he grinned as she rolled her eyes at him. "Come on, Robin, you are an amazing mother. You are carrying our little beans."

"I thought it was a Muffin," she said as she took the picture and squinted at it. "I mean muffins."

"It looks more bean shaped right now. Maybe we should call them jelly and bean?" he smiled.

She sighed and looked uncomfortable. "How can something so tiny cause so much nausea?"

"I thought it was better. Do you want to leave?" Patrick asked her, concerned at her change in demeanor.

"No, I just feel a little weird, spacey or something. I'm sure it will pass," she said and smiled.

He reached out across the booth and took her hand in his. "Why don't we get something to go?"

She felt her eyes fill with tears and she shrugged. "Can we just sit for a minute?"

"Of course," he said softly. "We have the whole summer to sit and relax. I can't believe we are finally on vacation."

She smiled. "I know. It has been quite a year. Some of the most amazing things have happened."

He nodded. "You're right. I can't even remember my life before I met you. I just thank God you found me."

"You found me, really. I was dodging people at school; content to stay alone when you walked into the lounge and into my life. I am so glad I decided to take a chance on love. I don't think I actually realized just how lonely I was," she said and took a deep breath. "I think I'm going to go the ladies room," she stood up and the room was spinning. She reached to grab the table.

"Robin, hey," he jumped up and took her arm as she sat back down slowly. He knelt in front of her and took her face in his hands. "Look at me."

She did, but her vision was blurry. She began to panic and closed her eyes. "Can we go, please? I just need some air."

He nodded and helped her stand up. She put her arm around his waist and he put his arm around her shoulders. They walked out and she sat down on the bench outside the restaurant. "I just need to relax. Dr. Coleman said the more anxious I get, the symptoms I feel will be worse," she closed her eyes while a few tears escaped and she tried to concentrate on her breathing.

Patrick felt completely helpless as he watched her struggle. He sat down next to her and she leaned her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for being here with me. I'm sorry if I'm scaring you," she said through closed eyes.

"Robin, you aren't scaring me. I just wish you weren't going through this. It isn't fair. You deserve a lifetime of happiness and health and you just don't deserve this," he put his hand on her thigh.

She looked at him, the fresh air helping to calm her nerves. She could tell her vision was better, but still a bit fuzzy. She put her hand over his on her thigh. She wiped her tears away and sighed. "I know it's selfish, but I'm so glad you are here with me."

He looked at her. "Why would that be selfish?" he tucked her hair behind her shoulder as the wind blew the strands.

She shrugged. "You are hurting and scared and it is because of me, but if I was all alone, I don't think I could do this. I don't think I would be strong enough to face the unknown of this disease. I am just so glad I'm not alone," she wrapped her arms around his upper arm.

He felt his heart grow bigger at her confession. "I'm not going anywhere, but even if you were alone, you would make it. You have more strength than anyone I have ever met. You would do what you had to do to survive, for jelly and bean and for me."

She breathed in his scent and prayed they would all stay healthy and happy. She knew he was right and she could this, she just needed to let go of this anxiety. She looked at him. "I think I am good to go now."

He smiled. "Are you sure?"

She stood up and was happy the world didn't move, "All good."

He stood up and they walked towards the parking lot. He reached into his pocket and realized he didn't have his keys. "I think I left them in the diner. I'll be right back," he kissed her and trotted off back towards the diner. Robin smiled as she held her hands to her belly. She turned to wait for him and saw him coming towards her and she saw him lock eyes with her as he stepped onto the street and then the reverberation of a horn and the sickening sound of an impact was made.


	12. Chapter 22-23

Chapter Twenty-Two:

It was okay; everything was going to be okay. This was nothing and he was going to walk out of the room and they would go home. There was nothing they couldn't do together. Together. That was the operative word. None of this worked alone. "Robin, hey, look at me." Maxie said as she walked up to her cousin.

Robin turned her head to look at Maxie. "Can you get the release papers? I know Patrick wants to go home," she rubbed her hands together. They felt sticky or dirty. She needed to wash her hands. What was that substance?

"Sweetie, can we sit down for a minute?" Maxie said again. She looked up and saw Matt sitting with Mattie, comforting the older woman. They were waiting for Noah to arrive.

"I'm fine, I just want to go home. Can you see what's taking Patrick so long?" Robin said softly. She looked at her hands. "Can I wash up for a minute? I must have touched something."

Maxie wiped her eyes and led Robin to a set of chairs. "You have blood all over you," she sat the young teacher down.

Robin looked at herself. "Did I cut myself? I don't remember cutting myself. Maybe that's part of my MS?"

Maxie tucked Robin's hair behind her ear. "The blood is Patrick's."

Robin focused on her. "What do you mean? Did he cut himself? Why would I have his blood on me? It's a lot of blood."

"Robin, Patrick was hit by a car. You held pressure to his wounds while you waited for the ambulance. He is in surgery right now." Maxie said. "He has critical injuries."

"Right, a car, I remember that. He walked into the road and then he was on the pavement. It seemed strange, because he just forgot his keys. He had to go back in because he forgot his keys. Isn't that strange? I made him forget his keys, because I got dizzy, at least I think that's what happened." Robin scared Maxie with her calm demeanor. "I need to relax, stay stress free. I'm okay."

There was a lot of commotion as Noah ran into the emergency room calling for Patrick. Robin turned and saw him and then turned back to her hands. She saw Maxie move to help Matt with Noah and Robin slipped into the bathroom. She walked to the mirror and looked at herself. She was covered in blood. She touched her face and saw her blood stained hand. Her wedding ring was covered with blood. Patrick gave her that ring. Patrick gave her everything.

XXXXX

She turned to wait for him and saw him coming towards her and she saw him lock eyes with her as he stepped onto the street and then the reverberation of a horn and the sickening sound of an impact was made. Robin screamed and ran to the scene. "Patrick, oh God, Patrick, call 911," she cried as she moved over his twisted body. She heard the people gathering and the driver crying, but she looked at her love, her life. She reached to his face, but there was blood covering much of his head. His arm was twisted funny and his shirt was torn, revealing part of his torso, covered with dirt from the pavement. She reached her shaking hand and covered his stomach. She moved to hold his head when someone stopped her.

"_Don't, he might have a neck injury," The man said who stood next to her. "The ambulance is on the way."_

_She let her hands hover over his head and she touched his cheek instead. There was blood flowing from his temple so she held pressure to it with her body. She rubbed his chest like he always liked and spoke to him. "Patrick, baby, I'm here, your babies are here and we all need you. Please hang on. Oh God, please hold on," she heard the ambulance arrive and was pulled away. She watched while they stabilized his neck and put him on a backboard. They moved his arm, which was obviously broken and covered his mouth with some sort of mask. She was ushered into the ambulance with him and watched as they continued to try and stabilize him. _

XXXXX

"Robin, hey," Liz said to her when she found the young brunette standing in the bathroom, staring in the mirror.

"What are you doing here?" Robin asked her friend.

"Maxie called me. Can I help you get cleaned up? Maxie said we can go to the doctor's lounge and you can change into a pair of scrubs." Liz wiped her own tears as she watched her shocked and distraught friend.

"Should I change? Patrick liked my outfit. This is the first ultrasound outfit." Robin looked again at her shirt.

"I think it's okay to change. Will you let me help you?" Liz asked again.

Robin wrapped her arms around herself. "Okay."

"Come on," Liz led her out of the bathroom and they stood and saw Noah and Mattie look at them. Robin saw their faces and their fear and she felt her stomach lurch.

"I am going to be sick," she turned and ran back into the bathroom, vomiting into the sink.

Liz ran in after her and rubbed her back. Robin looked at her friend and for the first time, seemed to register what happened. "I can't live without him," she sank to the ground and Elizabeth held her best friend, praying she wouldn't have to be alone.

XXXXX

Robin washed her face after Elizabeth took her into the lounge and she changed her clothes. She no longer had his blood on her, but the image in her mind was burned there. Why didn't she cry? She should cry, but she felt like she had no tears. She let Liz lead her out into the waiting room and towards Patrick's family. Maddie walked over to her and pulled Robin into her arms. "You need to take care of yourself, sweetie. My Patty will never forgive himself if you aren't okay."

Robin hugged the soft woman. She looked at her and nodded. "I'm okay."

Noah came up and hugged her as well. "Why don't you come sit with us while we wait. Maxie went to check on the surgery."

"What are they operating on?" Robin asked.

"I'm not sure. I think they are checking everything," Matt said as he joined his parents. "Let's sit down."

Robin let them lead her to the chair and she sat down. She remembered the first time she sat with Maddie in the ER, when Matt was hurt. It was their first date when Patrick had gotten the call. Everything had worked out then, so it would be okay now. She touched her stomach and remembered the news they received earlier. She didn't want to tell anyone, because they needed to tell their family together. She looked up as Maxie walked out with another doctor. They all stood up as the doctor approached.

"Hi, Mrs. Drake, I'm doctor Lucy Coe. Your husband made it through surgery and is in recovery. He has sustained numerous bruises and his right arm was broken and we surgically repaired it. My main concern is the head injury. We were able to stabilize his vitals, but he suffered a severe blow to the head and until he regains consciousness, it is hard to tell what, if any, damage there is. He had a large gash on his back and we stitched that, but there was scar tissue in the area. Was he injured recently?"

"He was stabbed 6 months ago. He had recovered from that, I thought." Robin said.

"He did, It just explains the scar tissue. You can go sit with him, but be prepared for the bruising. He will look worse before he looks better." Lucy said.

"Is he going to make it?" Maddie asked her.

"He should recover, but I am guarded about what that means until he wakes up. Head trauma is precarious at best and we need to monitor him for swelling and bleeding on the brain. Right now we just are going to make him comfortable and wait and see." Lucy smiled. "Come on, I'll take you to him."

Robin turned and looked at Noah and Maddie who both motioned for her to go. She nodded and followed Maxie and Lucy.

Robin was led into the room and saw him lying there, hooked up to machines with tubes everywhere. His arm was bandaged from his shoulder to his elbow and his head was bandaged almost to his eyes. She walked up to the bed and sat down on the chair next to him. She reached to his hand and took it in hers, looking at him and finally, she sobbed like her heart was breaking.

Chapter Twenty-Three:

He was so handsome. It didn't matter the bandages or the bruises, he was the most beautiful person she had ever seen. Robin picked up his hand and ran her fingers over his palm and then stroked the back of his hand. His hands were always so special to her. They held her and loved her and soothed her. These hands placed the ring on her finger and carried her when she was hurt. She kissed his hand and placed it back on the bed before standing up and moving closer to his face. She could see the bruising under the bandage and the tufts of hair sticking out. Leaning in to him, she brushed his lips with hers, placing a soft kiss on his mouth. She stroked his cheek as she watched him. "Patrick, I'm here. I am doing okay; so don't worry about me or the babies. You need to wake up and look at me. Everything is going to be okay, I promise. I love you," she spoke softly and deliberately.

"Can we come in for a minute?" Maddie and Noah stood at the door with Matt hanging back.

"Of course," Robin said and stepped back, allowing Patrick's parents a chance to see him. She walked to the doorway and hugged Matt who was struggling to keep his composure.

"I'm so sorry this happened," she said to him.

Matt looked at his sister in law. "Are you okay? You have been through so much, Robin, can I do anything for you?" he knew his brother would want her looked after above all else.

"I'm okay, really. I told Patrick not to worry about me. I can do this," she said and turned to see Maddie and Noah talking to their eldest son. She turned back to Matt. "You should go talk to your brother. He needs to know you are here."

The younger Drake nodded and walked to join his family. Robin watched the scene as she sat down in a chair by the door. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Liz.

"Hi sweetie. I put in a call to your parents, but I had to leave a message." Liz said.

Robin smiled. "They are busy, I'm sure."

"That's no excuse." The pretty science teacher said softly.

"It is what it is." Robin said. She looked at her friend. "Why am I not crying?"

Liz smoothed Robin's hair and took her hand in her own. "I am fairly certain you're in shock. You need to just try to stay as calm as you can and let us help you."

"You're probably right, shock. I need to snap out of it," she looked up into the green eyes of her best friend. "How do I do that?"

Liz wiped her eyes. "You just need to live through it, sweetie. Just remember that you aren't alone."

Maddie and Noah walked up while Matt took a private minute with his brother. They both stopped and hugged Robin before heading back to the waiting room. Matt walked out a moment later and Robin looked at Liz. "Thank you for always being here for me."

Liz hugged her. "I would do anything for you and for Patrick. I will give you privacy, but I am in the waiting room if you need me."

The tiny English teacher nodded and watched her friend leave. She got up and walked back to Patrick. She sighed as she looked at him. "I think you need to wake up now. I know I always say I am doing okay, but I think I might need your help. Elizabeth said I am in shock, and I think that might be true. I feel like this is surreal. We were having the best day; how did this happen?" she began to cry without even realizing it. "Every part of this life we have built has been contingent on the fact that we would live it together," she wiped her eyes. "I need you to be my partner. I need you to be okay," she touched his chest and saw him begin to stir. "Patrick, can you hear me? Can you wake up and look at me? Please?" she stroked his cheeks. His eyelids slowly began to flutter and Robin pushed the call button for help. She looked up as the nurse popped in. "He is waking up," Robin said with a smile as she held his hand. The nurse nodded and turned to get the doctor.

Robin paced in the hall while the doctors examined Patrick. She knew it was a good sign that he was waking up, but the voice of Dr. Coe telling her there may be damage was running through her mind. She didn't care what was wrong, as long as he was going to make it. They would deal with the rest. She looked up as Dr. Coe came out. "How is my husband?"

Lucy sighed. "He is awake, which is a great sign. I have ordered another CAT scan to make sure there is no swelling. He has movement in all of his extremities which is also great."

"What's wrong? I know there is more. What aren't you telling me?" Robin eyed the doctor.

"It is too soon to say why, or if it is lasting, but right now Patrick is unable to see." Lucy said.

Robin let the words register. "He is blind? You are telling me he is blind?" she began to get agitated.

"For now, he is. I want to see the CAT scan results to make sure we aren't dealing with a brain bleed. Hopefully it is something that will resolve when the swelling resolves," she said.

"He must be so scared. I need to go in and be with him." Robin moved to walk in.

"He is understandably upset, but he is also still a bit out of it. Are you sure you are okay to go in?" Lucy asked.

Robin glared at her. "He is my husband. There is nothing that would keep me from him," she squared her shoulders and headed into the room. The nurse walked out when she entered. Robin saw her husband's eyes open and tears on his cheek. She slowly approached the bed.

"Are you here?" he asked her. "Robin? I can't see you. Are you okay?" he reached out with his free hand.

Robin let her tears fall. "I'm here my love," she took his hand and brought it to her lips and kissed it. "I'm here and I'm okay."

He stared at nothing and she felt her heart break. "Robin, what am I going to do? How can I live like this? What am I going to do?" he took his hand and covered his face as he cried.

"Shh, you're going to be okay. This is probably temporary, so we just need to stay calm and let your body heal. Baby you almost died, I don't care about anything else, I just need you," she sobbed.

"I'm sorry, Robin. I don't know how this happened? You have been through so much, this is too much," he said brokenly.

She took a deep breath and stilled her tears. "Patrick, listen to me. I am fine and this is not too much. You are my everything and I am so sorry you are going through this, but it doesn't change anything. We are together and we are going to be okay."

He closed his eyes and sighed. "I can't see anything, how is that okay?"

She put his face in her hands. "You are my husband and I love you. We will figure this out together. We will be okay. Please don't lose faith."

He reached his good hand up to her and felt her face. He cupped her cheek and she moved to kiss his hand. "You don't need to see me to feel my love. We are beyond that and we will find another way," she leaned in and kissed him softly.

He nodded gently but didn't say anything.


	13. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four:

Robin walked into the waiting room while Maddie and Noah were in with Patrick. They had been told about his condition and had wanted to see him before they left for the night. It had been nice to see the divorced couple getting along for the sake of their son. She sat down and exhaled, running her hand through her hair. A cup of water was put in front of her and she looked up and smiled at Lucky.

"Thanks," she said as she took a drink. "I didn't know you were here."

The handsome social studies teacher smiled warmly as he sat down. "Liz and I were going to have dinner and I got worried when she stood me up. I found out soon enough what happened and I wanted to be here. Patrick has been a great friend to me since I got here and you both have been instrumental in getting Elizabeth to give me a chance. I just wanted to help if I could. Patrick would want you to be taken care of."

Robin felt tears prick her eyes. "You are so sweet to be here. Patrick thinks of you as a friend as well. We both do. I'm sorry your date was ruined."

Lucky smiled. "We both would rather be here," he saw Elizabeth approach and he stood up as she joined them. "I was just telling Robin about how we need to make sure she is okay."

Liz nodded. "Absolutely," she sat down next to her friend and rubbed her back. "Are you sure you want to stay here tonight?"

Robin hugged her waist and looked at Elizabeth, "I need to stay with Patrick. He is going to have a hard time and I don't want him to be alone," she didn't add that she didn't want to be without him.

"Okay, but you can call me anytime and I will come back to be with you. Even if it's the middle of the night, you know that." Liz hugged her.

"I know and I thank you both so much." Robin looked up as Noah and Maddie walked out. They joined the teachers.

"How was he?" Robin asked as she looked at the faces of the two people who gave her husband life.

"He is angry and hurting. I hope tomorrow will be better for him." Maddie said.

"I don't blame him for being angry. What is he supposed to do now?" Noah said angrily.

Maddie began to cry and Noah sighed. "I'm sorry, but this is so unfair."

Robin stood up. "You both need to go home and get some rest. Did Matt stay in there?"

"No, he went somewhere with Maxie, but he is still here somewhere." Maddie said.

"I am going to stay with my husband. I will call if anything changes." Robin said and hugged them all before turning to walk back to Patrick.

XXXXXX

Everything was dark, no, pitch black. It felt like he had a blindfold on and as much as he struggled, he was unable to pull it off. He tried to move, but his arm was immobilized and his head was throbbing. He moved his free hand to face and touched his features, moving his hand to his hair and feeling the bandage. He needed to get up, move somehow. He felt for the railing to the bed and tried to pull himself up when he felt something holding him back. He realized there was an IV in his arm and he just snapped. He yanked his arm away and felt the tear of the tape and the needle. He heard a crash of the equipment and he felt pain all through his back. He reached for anything he could and felt the tray table next to his bed. He took his good hand and shoved the cart, hearing it crash. He felt tears fill his sightless eyes and he swore loudly.

"Patrick, stop," Robin said as she ran into the room.

"You need to leave me, Robin. You don't deserve this. Please go away," he didn't even know which way to face her.

Robin walked up to him and grabbed the sheet, covering his arm where the blood was flowing from the IV. She touched his face and he moved away from her. She felt her chest constrict at his pain. "You need to stop this."

He didn't say anything, just stared into his own darkness. He didn't know if he was covered or naked. He didn't know if he was bandaged or if his arm was going to be okay. He couldn't tell what was happening. Suddenly he felt his wife's hands on his cheeks and he immediately felt a sense of calm. He closed his eyes. "Everything is so dark. I can't live like this, Robin. I don't know where I am or what's happening. I'm scared."

She sat down on the bed next to him and he leaned into her and she held him, not knowing what else to do. "I know you're scared and you have every right to be, but baby, you are not alone. I am here with you, through everything. There is nothing we can't handle together. I just need to know that you will fight for what we have."

"Do you know what I keep thinking?" he asked brokenly.

"What's that?" she whispered as she held him.

"What if I never see our children? What if the only vision I have of our babies is the little bean picture? I can't imagine not seeing your body grow and change with our gift and how can I help you with everything if I can't see what's happening? How can I do anything?" he cried and she cried with him.

She was going to answer him when the nurse came in to tend to the IV and clean up the mess he had made. She felt him tense when he realized someone was in the room. "It is the nurse, baby." Robin looked at the nurse. "Please announce yourself when you approach my husband. He deserves to know what is happening at all times. There is nothing wrong with his hearing or cognition."

The nurse apologized and Robin moved to allow her to clean up his arm. The gown he was wearing had gotten wet from the fluids and it needed to be changed. Robin walked up to the bed. "After you finish putting in the new IV, would it be okay if I helped him change? I think it would be easier."

The nurse nodded. "Of course," she smiled and Robin could see Patrick relax. The nurse spoke to Patrick as she worked so he knew what to expect. When she finished, she laid out a new gown and showed Robin how to snap the arms so his cast and IV line wouldn't be obstructed. Robin thanked her and she left.

"We are alone." Robin closed the door and walked over to the bed. She looked at Patrick and had never seen him so defeated. She sat down next to him and took his hand in hers. "I need you to listen to me for a minute."

"That's about all I can do at the moment," he said.

"You are being a hypocrite. You preached to me about how no matter what I was dealing with and what I was going through, we could get through it. You told me something that made me believe in my strength, you said that you would never leave me. You told me that you loved me so much it scared you. _I never want you to feel alone or isolated. I just need you to hear me. I am here for the duration_. You said. Were those lies? Did that only apply if I was sick or injured and not you?" Robin knew her voice was shaking, but she couldn't help it.

He blinked and more tears fell down his cheeks. "Robin, this is different. I can't see. I can't drive and I can't take care of you. I can't see your beautiful brown eyes or know when you need a foot rub by your expressions. I can't find the perspective because I see emptiness. I see nothing."

She had heard enough. "Then you need to look harder," she stood up. "My God, Patrick, you can do this. You faced down Neil and took a knife to the back while saving me. You pulled me out of the bushes and brought me back to life. You have made everything about my life infinitely better and we are only getting started. I am carrying your children and that doesn't change, whether you can see it or not. I love you, all of you, eyesight or not, but you have to be willing to work on this. There is a very good chance this isn't permanent, but if it is, we will find a new normal. I need my husband with me and I demand that he want to be there," she was quiet as she felt a wave of dizziness come over her. She sat down slowly on the floor.

"Robin? Are you okay? Baby?" he held the railing as he stood up and reached for her.

"I'm okay, just needed to sit for a minute, I'm okay," she sobbed, the weight of everything too much for her. "Oh God, Patrick, I need you to trust in our love, please don't give up on us," she moved to grasp his hand.

He gently sat down on the bed, patting the mattress next to him. She sat down and he reached to her face. "Just take a few deep breaths. Please, you have to relax. I'm such an idiot. I am a selfish idiot who forgot what you have been dealing with. You're right. I can get through this. I think the pity party is over for now," he smiled. "Can you forgive me?"

She wiped her eyes. "You can be angry and you can be scared, but you can't shut me out. We are a team, for better or worse, in sickness and in health."

He stroked her cheek and pulled her face to his for a kiss. She reached up and touched his chest. "I promise, we are together in all of it."

She sat back and sighed. "Let's get you changed," she unsnapped the sleeves and removed his gown, being careful as he flinched in pain. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, just feels a bit like I was run over by a car," he joked.

"You were, I saw it," she said, not meaning it to sound like it did. "I didn't mean that the way it came out."

"It's okay. Robin, you can talk to me, if you need to get it out of your mind," he said gently.

She smiled. "I think we have both talked enough for the day," she stood up. "All done. Let's get you back under the covers and you can get some sleep."

"Are you leaving?" he asked in a small voice.

"Of course not. I will sit next to the bed all night," she said soothingly.

"No you won't, come into the bed with me," he moved to make room.

"I am not sure that's a great idea, Patrick. You are very bruised and I don't want to hurt you," she said softly.

"You won't hurt me. I mean it, Robin. I need to feel you next to me, please?" he asked.

She stood up and removed her shoes and socks. She climbed into the bed and lay down next to him, leaving some space between them. He reached over and put his arm around her, pulling her to his side and omitting any space. She smiled and snuggled up against him. "I love you," she said and took his hand in hers and held it against her stomach. She just prayed for something good to happen.


	14. Chapter 25-26

Chapter Twenty-Five:

She turned to wait for him and saw him coming towards her and she saw him lock eyes with her as he stepped onto the street and then the reverberation of a horn and the sickening sound of an impact was made. Robin screamed and ran to the scene. "Patrick, oh God, Patrick, call 911," she cried as she moved over his twisted body. She heard the people gathering and the driver crying, but she looked at her love, her life. She reached to his face, but there was blood covering much of his head. His arm was twisted funny and his shirt was torn, revealing part of his torso, covered with dirt from the pavement. She reached her shaking hand and covered his stomach.

"Robin? Wake up?" Patrick said as he tried to find her. She wasn't in the bed with him but he could hear her struggling. He knew she was having a nightmare about him. "Robin? Please," he yelled into his darkness. He felt his tears come from frustration.

Robin awoke to him yelling and she realized quickly she had been dreaming. She saw him trying to find her and she jumped from the chair and went to the bed. He clutched onto her and pulled her to him.

"I'm okay, I'm sorry I scared you," she said as he held her. "I was just having a bad dream," she realized her heart was pounding and she knew he had to feel that.

"Robin, we need to go home. I can't sit here anymore, hooked up to machines and not know where everything is or how to move around. I need to get out of here and be with you," he said to her.

"Dr. Coe said you will be released today, but she is going to come in and talk to us soon." Robin said as she smoothed his hair down. They had removed his bandage and although bruised, he looked much more like himself. They had also recast his arm so his hand was free. "How do you feel?"

"I feel fine, I just can't fucking see anything," he said and sighed. "I'm sorry, I'm just so frustrated."

She stroked his cheek. "Don't apologize. I am fucking angry, too," she smiled when he grinned. There was a knock at the door and they turned to the noise.

"It's Dr. Coe and Mr. Parrish." The older doctor said.

Robin smiled and moved off of the bed. She continued to hold Patrick's hand. "Mr. Parrish is an occupational therapist who works with the visually impaired. He is going to get you ready to leave. We have a bed available at the rehab facility. You should probably be there a few weeks."

"What? I am not going to a home. I am fine." Patrick yelled, agitated and scared.

"Mr. Drake, you have a serious brain injury which has resulted in complete blindness. You also have a broken arm, which further impedes your mobility. It is not conducive to your recovery to be home." Lucy said.

Robin could see her husband's panic and she felt a similar feeling. "Excuse me Dr. Coe, but Patrick and I are both off for the summer. If I can learn what needs to be done at our home to help him, can't Patrick just come home?"

Patrick squeezed her hand in gratitude. "I agree with my wife. We will be fine at home."

"It is ultimately your decision, but I would advise against it," she could see there was no changing their minds. "Please allow Mr. Parrish to speak with you both while I get the papers ready. Are you sure that's what you want to do?" Lucy asked.

Robin rubbed her husband's hand. "Absolutely."

Lucy walked out and the handsome older gentleman pulled up a chair. "Hi, I am Blackie Parrish and I work with adults who have a traumatic injury and need to learn how to manage on their own. I would like to talk with Mr. Drake for a bit, if that would be okay?"

"Robin can be here for everything." Patrick said.

Robin sat on the bed next to Patrick. "No, it's okay babe. Mr. Parrish, is there anything I should get ready before we go home?"

"Blackie, please." The man said. "Here is a list of some helpful things at the drugstore you can pick up if you want. I will be coming by the house tomorrow to work on some specifics."

Robin stood up. "Okay. I will go and get these things and then come back to pick you up," she leaned in and kissed Patrick softly.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too," she said and smiled as she walked out.

"She seems like a wonderful woman, Mr. Drake." Blackie said.

"She is and she is my wife," he said. He had no idea how old this guy was or what he looked like. He was uncomfortable and just wanted to go home.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply anything. I was making an observation." Blackie said.

"Sorry, I can't do that anymore." Patrick remarked sarcastically.

"Does it make you feel better to act like a victim?"

"Excuse me? I don't recall asking your opinion on anything. You seemed to be staring at my wife." Patrick sulked.

"That's odd. I thought you couldn't make any more observations." Blackie said.

Patrick went to say something but stopped. "Point taken."

Blackie smiled. "Lesson number one learned quickly. You don't need your eyes to see things all the time. Your other senses will be heightened and you will be surprised at how well you can get around without your eyes. My job is to show you how to view the world without your eyes, at least for now. Ultimately, we will work on you regaining your eye sight."

"How do I do that?" Patrick asked.

"If it's possible, by lowering your stress level and letting your brain heal. The key is to not become so frustrated. Going home is going to be a huge test and you need to be patient. Your wife will have her hands full trying to help you and you need to let her be a part of your fears and your feelings. I will be over tomorrow and we can go through some more specifics," he stood up and took Patrick's hand in his.

Patrick shook the man's hand. "Thank you."

"Until tomorrow," he said and left.

XXXXX

Matt drove Patrick home so Robin could clean things up and make sure everything was out of the way before Patrick got there. He also figured it would be best to help his brother with anything he might not want Robin to have to help him with right away.

"Thanks for helping me." Patrick said to his brother.

"I would do anything for you, you know that." Matt said as he let Patrick hold his arm as they walked into the house. "Let's just got o the bedroom and get you situated. The doctor wants you to rest."

Patrick sighed. "All I do is rest. Where is Robin?"

"Right here." Robin said as she walked into the room where the brothers were standing. She walked up and took his hand.

He felt immediate relief at her touch. "Are you doing okay?" he asked her.

"Yes, I am fine. I will let Matt get you situated and then I will come in," she smiled at Matt and squeezed Patrick's hand before leaving them alone.

Patrick let Matt help him into the bedroom. "Does she really look okay?"

Matt sighed, hating that his brother couldn't see. "Yes, she really looks okay," he helped him get undressed and took him into the bathroom.

"I can handle this myself." Patrick said.

"Good, because I wasn't about to help you." Matt joked. "I'll be out here when you're done."

Patrick smiled. "I know, thanks."

A while later Patrick opened the door and Matt helped him to the bed. Patrick sat down and Matt could see how tired he was. "What can I get for you?"

"I just need my wife." Patrick said with tears in his eyes. "Thanks Bri, but can you get her?"

"You got it. I'm just a phone call away, okay?" Matt said softly.

"I know. Thanks." Patrick said.

Matt walked out and filled Robin in on Patrick's progress. She walked him out and locked the door before turning to join her husband.

Patrick heard her walk into the room. "Is that you?"

"It's me." Robin said as she walked to the bed. Patrick was shirtless, his back still bandaged, but his torso was uncovered. There was bruising all over him. He had on his shorts, but nothing else. She felt tears fall as she looked at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

"Nothing, what do you mean?"

"I can hear your tears," he said. He reached out to her and she sat down, taking his hand.

"Tears are silent," she said and kissed his hand.

"Nope, not to me. Apparently now I have bionic hearing," he joked.

"Oh really?" she smiled. "I wonder what else is bionic?"

"Why Mrs. Drake, I don't think that is an appropriate question," he reached to her face.

"Sorry, just miss my husband," she leaned in and kissed him, breathing his scent mixed with the smell of bandages. She began to cry again. "Sorry, I don't know what's wrong with me. I think it's the hormones."

"Come here, baby," he reached for her.

"I don't want to hurt you. You are all bruised," she said.

"I don't care. Come here please," he leaned back against the pillows and she moved next to him, gently touching his side. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Thank you."

"For what?" she said into his chest.

"For letting me come home. For taking care of me and not making me go to a home," he kissed her again.

"The only home you are going to is our home," she placed her hand on his chest. "I don't know what this new life will bring us, but we are going to face all of it together."

"Then we can't fail," he said, exhaustion taking over.

"Never," she closed her eyes as well.

Chapter Twenty-Six:

Patrick woke up to sounds he knew too well. Robin was getting sick and he was in the darkness. He sat up slowly and knew if he called to her, she would come and get more stressed out. He was quiet and he slowly got up and used his hand to feel around the bed as he walked slowly towards their bathroom. He moved carefully, reaching his good hand out in front of him so he wouldn't bump himself. He made his way to the wall where the bathroom was and felt his way to the door. There was no time for anger or fear because his wife needed him. He felt the door handle and he knocked softly. "Robin? Can I come in?"

She wasn't sure she heard correctly so she waited.

"Robin? Can I help you?" he repeated and she felt her eyes flow over with tears. She opened the door and saw him standing there. She wrapped her arms around him and sobbed into his chest as he held her with his other arm. "Shh, it's okay, I'm here," he said soothingly.

He moved his hand over her back and smiled. "Are you naked?"

She laughed. "Yes," she sniffled as she stepped back.

"Can I ask why?"

She began to cry again and he felt his own eyes wet with tears. "I'm sorry, did I forget something? Should I know why you are naked? Please don't cry," he wrapped his arm around her.

"I'm sorry, come back to the bed and we can sit," she helped him back to the bed and he sat down. She sat down and pulled the sheet over her. "You didn't do anything wrong. I got sick and I ruined my nightgown. I was going to change when I came out. When I heard you were at the door, I was just so happy," she said. "I know I shouldn't be like this, but I'm so angry. You don't deserve this, Patrick. You are the best man in the world and I am so incredibly sorry you are going through this."

He reached for her and she moved closer to him. He reached out and touched her face, wiping her tears. He moved his hand down her neck to her shoulder and smiled. "This will pass, Robin. I will get my sight back and we will be okay. I am going to learn to do whatever I need to do in order to be a good husband and father. You forget something," he said.

"What's that?" she was keenly aware of his hand on her skin.

"As teachers, we learn how to reach all types of learners. Some are visual, of course, but others learn by auditory senses, like this," he leaned in and whispered in her ear. "I love you," he sat back up. Some are tactile, they need to touch things," he ran his fingers over her chest. "Others are kinesthetic learners, like you and me. They just feel," he leaned in and covered her mouth with his. She ran her hands over his bare muscular torso and felt her worries and fears begin to ease.

"I think I needed that lesson, thank you," she said. "I think we should go back to sleep."

He ran his hand through her hair. "Tell jelly and bean to sleep so their mommy can keep food down."

She took his hand and placed it on her bare stomach, covering it with her own. "They just need to know both of us are here for them, always," she said.

"Always," he said and they snuggled back under the covers.

XXXXX

Matt came over the next morning and Robin went out with Elizabeth to get some errands done. She was reluctant to leave, but with Matt there, she knew her husband would be okay.

"So, what's on tap for today?" Matt asked his brother.

"I need to figure out how to get around my house so I am not an invalid. Robin has too much going on to take care of me. I need to take care of myself." Patrick said as he sat on the couch in the living room. He had on shorts and a t-shirt and was feeling much better.

She doesn't see you as an invalid, man. You are not helpless and you need to start realizing what you can do. That guy, whatever his name is, the one who worked with you."

"Blackie,"

"Right, weird ass name, but whatever. He said to use numbers as a guide. We need to count how many steps it takes between areas of the house. You need to have some sort of guide for yourself, to know how to get between things and how to move from point A to point B safely." Matt said.

"Okay, so let's start. How many steps from here to the kitchen." Patrick stood up and he and his brother began to map out the house.

XXXXXX

"How are you feeling?" Elizabeth asked Robin as they sat at the pharmacy, waiting for some meds for Patrick.

"I'm okay, the morning sickness is back a bit, but I think it is also stress. I am trying really hard not to get so upset, but I just feel so badly for Patrick. I feel so responsible," she ran her hand through her hair.

"Sweetie, how on earth could you be responsible?" Liz prodded her friend.

Robin shrugged. "I have been one problem after another. First it was my attack and then Neil and then the pregnancy and now the Multiple Sclerosis. Ever since Patrick met me I have been like a tumor he has to lug around. Now because I had another dizzy spell, he had to go back into the restaurant and was hit by that car. If I wasn't here, he wouldn't have any of these issues."

Elizabeth sighed. "You're right, he wouldn't. Can I ask you what you think he would say if you told him the same thing?"

She smiled sadly. "He would say the right things, that his life is better because he met me, and I know he means it, but what is the cost? For God sakes, he is blind. How can he ever forgive me?"

Liz got up and hugged her friend. "You need to stop this right now. You wouldn't allow Patrick to hold a pity party, and I am not letting you do this, either. We are going home and you are going to see how much your husband loves you, no matter what."

Robin knew he did and she loved him, too, more than anything, but she felt like something wasn't right and she didn't know what it was.

Elizabeth pulled away from Robin's house after dropping her friend off back home and walking out with Matt. She felt like something wasn't right outside the house, but she didn't know what it was. It was almost as if someone was watching them. She shook her head and realized she was being paranoid.

Robin walked in to see Patrick sitting on the couch, his bruises looking much less pronounced and his familiar dimples becoming more pronounced. She sat down next to him. "What did you do with Matt?"

"We came up with a step system to help me get between rooms. It was a little touch and go when we realized that writing the numbers wouldn't be very helpful, but we figured out a different way to remember the numbers. Watch," he stood up and walked to the kitchen. "I am facing the table, right?"

She watched him and smiled. "Right."

He turned and walked to the family room. "Now I am at my chair."

"You are."

He turned and walked to the spare bathroom. "This is the bathroom."

"It is," she was thrilled at his new found independence.

He turned and walked back to the spot he started from. "Robin, I can do this and I know it will get better. I really feel like I will get my sight back."

She smiled through her happy tears. "I have no doubt you will," she walked up to him and hugged him, not at all aware of the man who stood outside, watching them.


	15. Chapter 27-28

Chapter Twenty-Seven:

Robin watched Patrick as he slept on the couch later that evening. She was overwhelmed by his positive attitude and his strength of character. She really had so much to learn about setbacks and about trusting in the power of love. He had made the decision to fight this and he didn't let anyone stop him. She reached over and touched his face. He moved and she took her hand back.

"Are you okay?" he asked her as he smiled.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I'm fine, just thinking," she said softly.

He sat up a little more and reached to her. She lay down with him and he ran his hand in circles down her back. "What's on your mind?"

"I was just thinking about how much I admire you. You kind of make me wonder what I was thinking before," she ran her hand over his chest.

"What do you mean?" he moved his hand farther down her back to the top of her behind.

"I was feeling very sorry for myself with the whole diagnosis. I was worried that I would be a burden to you and our children. But then you got hit," she stopped for a minute.

"And you figured I was the burden?" he joked with her, but she sat up.

"Oh God no, Patrick," she said.

"Hey, I was kidding, albeit not really funny, but I didn't mean it," he sat up more.

"I know; I just never want you to feel that way," she said as she faced him.

"I don't," he said as he pulled her to him and she straddled his waist.

"I don't want to hurt you, baby," she said.

He ran his hand over her buttocks. "Not possible."

She was trying not to let him get to her, as she didn't think this was in his recovery instructions. "What I was trying to say was that seeing how you have taken on this latest challenge with such strength and courage has made me want to do more to be that kind of a person. You inspire me in every way," she saw his eyes fill with tears and she leaned in to him and kissed his cheeks.

"Thank you, but you're wrong. We inspire each other," he leaned up to find her mouth again and he ran his hands up under her shirt, feeling her warm skin quiver under his touch. He moved his hands to her covered breasts, which had gotten slightly bigger since she became pregnant. He smiled at her and she looked at him.

"What?" she asked him.

"I don't know if it's that I can't see, so maybe my sense of touch is better, but you are giving me the most amazing sensations," he said as he reached to her back and unclasped the material. "I am very glad they didn't cast my hand."

She moaned into his ear and he felt himself growing harder with every move she made. "Patrick, I don't think this is a good idea," she spoke haltingly to him.

"I think it's a fabulous idea," he moved his hands to her front and tweaked her nipples.

"God Patrick," she moved to his mouth and tasted him, rocking over his growing erection as they kissed each other. He leaned back onto the pillows and she unbuttoned his shirt. She moved down his body and kissed his skin. She moved to his sweat pants and gently pulled them down and off, allowing his erection to spring free. He moaned as she leaned down and kissed his abdomen.

"Robin," he murmured as she wrapped her hand around his engorged shaft and moved her fingers up and down. She moved back to his mouth and kissed him deeply. "Come here," he pulled her gently to him and moved to her waist. She helped him remove her pants and panties and he moved her onto him. She looked at him.

"Are you sure?" she asked him one more time.

"I'm sure. I need to feel you, Robin. I need to love you," he whispered and she lowered herself onto him. They both gasped at the sensations and she leaned onto him. Gently moving her hips as he continued to kiss her. She made sure they took it slow and he was okay. She put her hands on either side of his face, leaning on the pillows as she moved them to climax. She buried her head in his neck as he exploded inside her and she shuddered against him. He held her to him, not wanting to feel the void of her leaving.

"That was so amazing. You should try it with your eyes closed," he said softly.

"Maybe next time," she said as she pressed her mouth to his again.

XXXXX

Robin was getting a plate of snacks together for the two of them about an hour after their workout. They had both just held each other until Robin realized she hadn't really eaten all day. She brought in the plate of cheese and crackers and handed him some juice.

"I want a beer," he said after drinking.

"Not on so many meds. I promise, after you are off the meds, you can have a keg," she smiled.

"I don't want a keg, just a nice cold beer," he sighed. "I suppose I could settle for another workout instead."

She laughed. "Not until we eat." They began to enjoy the snacks when they both heard a noise outside.

"What was that?" she asked.

"I don't know, it sounded like it was from out front," he said. "I'll go check."

She nodded and they both looked at each other.

"Shit, guess I can't do that," he said as he remembered.

"No problem, I'll go," she got up.

"Wait, I don't like it," he said.

"What do you mean? It's just a noise," she said.

He felt weird and didn't know what was going on. "Robin, I just," he began when she stood up.

"It's fine. Sit tight," she kissed him and jumped up to go to the door.

He stood up and listened as she opened the door. "I don't see anything," she said as she closed it and turned back to him.

He looked at her with a strange expression and she walked towards him. "Patrick, what is it?"

"Robin, look behind you," he said before fainting.

She turned around and saw someone she never planned on seeing again. "Brad!" She said before he covered her mouth.

Chapter Twenty-Eight:

Robin couldn't believe this was happening. Patrick was on the floor next to the couch, passed out cold. She was being held by Brad and she was struggling to get away, to get to her husband. She was scared at how tightly he was holding her around her waist so she stopped struggling. He moved his hand from her mouth. "Please, let me go. You're hurting me."

Brad shoved her to the kitchen and into a chair. She sat down and looked at him. "What do you want? You are crazy," she bit back her tears and tried to control her breathing. She needed to get to Patrick. Had he seen Brad? Was he okay?

"I want to know what you were thinking. Elizabeth and I were happy until you told her the truth. She left me because of you and I lost my baby because of you," he walked to the counter and found the knives. He pulled out a steak knife and looked at it. I lost everything because of you, and now I am going to get it back," he walked to her.

Robin was frantic. She knew Brad had a mean streak, but she never thought he would do this; go this far. She looked at him. "How is killing me going to help you get Elizabeth back?"

He played with the tip of the knife. "I didn't tell you to talk, did I?" he walked to her and dragged the back of blade across her neck, careful not to cut her for the moment. She felt her tears spill down her cheeks. "Aww, don't cry," he sneered.

She looked around her and tried to find something to use as a weapon. He hadn't tied her up, so if he moved enough, she could run, but she was scared. What if he caught her? Would he hurt the babies? Would he hurt Patrick? She didn't know what to do. She sat there and waited.

"How did you find out about my past?" he asked her as he walked around her.

"What are you talking about? I don't know anything about your past," she said, trying to figure out what he was talking about.

"John came to visit you. I know he did. You poisoned him, just like you poisoned Elizabeth," he said as he ran the knife over her arm, drawing blood.

She kept calm, thinking about everything she knew from Liz. "I don't know what you are talking about, but you're hurting me," she cried and then realized what he had said. "That kid who came to see me, how do you know him?"

"John told me he came to visit you. I know you lied to him just like you turned Liz against me," he was becoming more agitated and she knew she had to act quickly. He hadn't answered her question. She was dizzy and scared and her arm was bleeding. She watched Brad pace as he spoke about things she had no knowledge of. When his back was to her, she stood up and went to run out of the room. She got to the hallway when he grabbed her. "Oh God, please," she collapsed to the ground so he couldn't hurt her stomach. She waited for him to strike when there was a pounding on the front door.

"Robin? I need to talk to you. I called you, but you didn't answer. When I left here I had a bad feeling and I need to see that you both are okay," Elizabeth pounded at the door.

Brad grabbed Robin by the hair and pulled her up. "You called her?"

Robin thought she might black out. "I didn't call her."

"Stop it or I'll kill you." Patrick said as he walked to the hallway. He faced the wall as he spoke. Brad held the knife to Robin.

"If you come any closer, I will slice her neck." Brad said.

"I can't see you, so I don't know where you are. I heard you and I am here to tell you to stop. I don't know what else you want." Patrick said.

Robin looked at her husband and could tell he was lying. He could see, she could tell by how he glanced at her. Through the pain and the fear she was elated. He could see. She also realized what he was doing. "Patrick was hit by a car and he lost his eyesight. He can't hurt you," she said to Brad.

"I know. I was aiming for you, but he had to run back into the restaurant. Probably for something you left there." Brad sneered.

"You did this? What the hell happened to you?" Elizabeth stood next to Patrick. She looked at her ex-husband. "Don't look so surprised. I have a key because these two are my family, something you know nothing about."

Brad was surprised, but he kept his grip on Robin. She stared at Patrick and he kept his gaze on her. "Elizabeth, you need to leave." Robin begged.

"No way, sweetie. This has nothing to do with either one of you," she walked closer and Brad poked the knife into Robin's side, slightly puncturing her skin.

"Oh God, stop." Robin cried and Patrick ran towards her. Brad wouldn't lessen his grip on her and she sobbed. "Patrick, stop. He will kill me."

"Can't see? Right; how convenient. Looks like you can see just fine." Brad held Robin tighter.

Patrick froze and Elizabeth looked at Brad. "What do you want? What is this supposed to accomplish?"

Suddenly there was a megaphone outside and the police yelling for him to come out. Brad tossed Robin to the ground like a doll and looked out the window. Patrick ran towards Robin and Brad turned to go after them when Elizabeth stepped in front of them. "Brad, look at me. I'm sorry. I still love you and I want to work this out," she reached out to him, realizing he was capable of anything at this point. She would tell him anything he needed to hear.

Patrick tried to reach them but Brad shoved Liz into him and reached down to grab Robin. He dragged her to the front door and opened it, pulling her outside. They were met by a ton of officers and Robin saw Sonny standing there, his gun pointing at them. "Let her go and this will all be over," Sonny said.

Robin knew she was hanging on by a thread. She looked at Sonny and a female officer who stood next to him. She wondered if Patrick was behind her. She met Sonny's gaze and took a deep breath and shoved Brad with all her might and fell to the ground. She covered her head and waited while the commotion began.

Patrick heard the screaming and the scuffle and he and Elizabeth ran to the door. He saw his wife crumpled on the ground and he ran to her. Sonny had Brad pinned down and he was in cuffs.

"Robin, baby? Are you okay?" Patrick turned her over and saw her arm was covered with blood and there was a small bloodstain on her side. She looked up at him.

"You can see?" she asked him as she reached to his face.

"Everything is fuzzy, but yes, I can see," he said and held her to him.

"Oh thank God," she hugged him and saw the paramedics approaching her. They began assessing her arm and went to take her to the ambulance.

"No, I'm okay. I want to stay here, please. He just scratched me. I need to be home with my husband and just relax. I'm okay, I swear," she said.

"Robin, what about the babies?" Patrick asked her softly.

"I feel fine. I will have Maxie come over and she can check me out, but I want to stay here," she said.

Patrick nodded. "Let's go to the ambulance so they can clean you up and then we will go inside."

Robin nodded as she let them help her up. Patrick walked with her and they both saw Elizabeth standing with Sonny and the female officer. She was giving a statement as Brad sat in the squad car. They both needed to know what was going on, but right now, they needed to just be with each other.


	16. Chapter 29-30

Chapter Twenty-Nine:

Patrick sat on the couch with Matt and Lucky after Dr. Coe had checked him out. Maxie had brought half of the hospital to their house after she heard what happened. She was in the bedroom with Robin and Elizabeth while the OBGYN on duty looked at her.

Matt looked at his brother. "Can you really see me?"

Patrick nodded. "I can. It's weird, like things are fuzzy, but I can see. Dr. Coe said everything should get clearer in the next few days," he wanted to be with Robin. He was worried. "Why can't I go in there?"

"Give the women a few minutes, Robin is fine, but if you're there, she will just worry about you." Matt said and smiled.

Lucky rubbed his hands nervously on his jeans. "You said Liz was okay?"

Patrick smiled. "She was amazing. She totally got to Brad and yelled at him. He pushed her at one point but she was fine. I just know what that prick did to her in the past and to see him here, hurting Robin and going after Liz, it just killed me."

Just then Liz and Maxie walked out of the room and Lucky stood up to walk to them. Matt walked to Maxie.

"Are you okay?" Lucky asked Elizabeth. It was obvious she had been crying and he just wanted her to be safe.

"I'm fine," she walked to Patrick. "I'm so sorry he did this. I just can't believe he almost killed both of you because of me. I hope you can forgive me." Liz sobbed.

Patrick hugged her. "You have nothing to be sorry about. He is in jail and we are all okay. Please don't worry about us, everything is going to be fine."

Liz smiled at him and took Lucky's hand. "The doctor is almost done and will be out in a minute. You'll call us if you need anything?"

"Of course. Go take her home and see that she relaxes." Patrick told Lucky who nodded and held Liz close.

"The officer wants us to come in tomorrow and give a statement." Liz said. "She seemed really nice, I liked her. She is talking with Robin now."

Patrick nodded and promised again he would call if they needed anything. Liz and Lucky walked out with Matt and Maxie.

Sonny walked over and sat with Patrick. "I have your statement and Officer Rosco is talking with Robin. You're sure you don't want to go to the hospital for the night?"

Patrick shook his head. "No, we are fine here."

Sonny nodded as Faith and the doctor walked out with Robin. Patrick stood up when he saw her and walked towards them. Robin beamed when she saw him recognize her.

"We will see you all soon." They all left and finally, the couple was alone. Patrick turned and looked at her, studying her features. She reached up and touched his cheek.

"Let me see what he did to you." Patrick examined her bandaged arm and she took his hand in hers.

"Just hold me for a minute?" she asked him and he pulled her into his arms, doing as she asked.

"What did the doctor say?" he asked her, as she was silent.

"Everything is fine. The babies are fine," she said and pulled away from him. "Come here," she led him to the couch where they sat down.

He looked at her, tears in his eyes. "I love you so much. Where are you hurting?"

She closed her eyes and her tears fell. "You can really see me?"

He smiled as he wiped her eyes. "I can really see you. To be honest, I think it was making love to you that triggered something within me. When you went to open the door, something happened and I got really dizzy, but I could see him. Then I passed out and when I woke up, you were yelling at him and he was hurting you," he stroked her face. "What did he do to you?"

She shook her head. "Nothing, really. He just cut my arm and my side a little. He shoved me a few times and pulled my hair. I will be bruised, but nothing serious."

He pulled her to him. "It's all serious. I could have lost you."

She cried into his shoulder. "I was scared, Patrick. After everything we have been through, I didn't want this to be the end. He held me hard around the waist and I stopped resisting because I didn't want him to hurt the babies."

He felt such a sense of protectiveness come over him. This was his life. She was everything to him and he wouldn't survive losing her. He pulled back and looked into her eyes before leaning in and covering her mouth with his. She crawled deeper into his lap and wrapped her arms around him. "I love you so much," she said into his ear as she kissed his neck.

"Let's go into the bedroom and lie down. I want to hold you and you need to rest," he said as he could feel her trembling.

She was shaky and she knew he could tell. "I need to go see Dr. Coleman tomorrow. My reflexes are a little off and although it is probably because of stress, he wants me to have an exam," she sighed. "I just want to get back to normal, but now I know that normal for us is so different."

He stroked her hair and looked at her. "I like our new normal," she looked at him and he shrugged. "I don't mean that I am happy you have MS, but everything that has happened in the last few months has made me realize that I need to be thankful every moment of every day. We are going to have 2 babies here before we know it and I want to relish every minute up to that point and then for the rest of our lives. I am in awe of your strength and I know I am better today because of your faith in me."

She took his face in her hands and leaned in to kiss him. "You are my hero," she held his face and stroked his cheeks. "Come on," she walked into the bedroom and he followed.

He looked at himself in the mirror and she smiled at him. "Forget what you look like?" she asked him.

"I am really handsome, you can't deny that," he grinned.

She laughed. "Can't argue when the man is correct."

He turned to see her pull her shirt off and he walked to her bandaged side. "You're sure this is okay?"

"He just punctured the skin, nothing deep. It's just because of the MS, they want to make sure there is no infection," she pulled off her pants and walked to him. "I am fine."

He pulled his shirt off carefully, his own body still very sore. He watched as she touched his healing bruises. "I am fine, too."

She walked to the bed and he pulled off the rest of his clothes and got in while she crawled in next to him. He held her to him and she curled up against him, skin on skin. They both were silent as their minds were grateful for their health and they both knew not to take anything for granted. She lay on her back and he looked down at her as he sat up. He traced a line down her torso to her stomach. He leaned in and kissed the spot where their children were nestled. He looked into her eyes.

"I can't believe this is real," he said softly as he rested his hand on her abdomen.

She smiled and used her hand to trace a line down his chest. "You and I made it happen. We have something rare, Patrick. We have a chance to do something amazing together. We are going to raise our family with love and compassion. We will teach our children to always respect others and to love fiercely. I want them to know the love we have for each other and for them. I never want them to feel alone," she wiped her tears away. "I want them to be as happy as we are right now."

He leaned in and kissed her, not able to formulate any words. He simply showed her his passion and his heart by loving her completely.

Chapter Thirty:

"I can go by myself if you want to stay home." Robin said to Patrick as they got dressed the next morning. She had to go to the police station and then to her doctor's appointment.

"Why would I want to stay home?" he asked as he fed Toots.

"You are still recovering from a major trauma, Patrick. I don't want you to have any kind of setback," she looked at him and smiled. "I want you to stay healthy for our trip."

He walked over to her and kissed her. "I am fine and I feel great. I wouldn't miss our trip for anything."

She hugged him. "Okay. Let's go."

XXXXX

Robin and Patrick sat in the police station while Sonny and Faith went over their statements. Patrick had a hard time listening to how rough Brad had been with Robin. He cursed himself for not getting to her sooner. She held his hand as she told them what happened.

"I don't know what he meant by me knowing about his past. I think the boy he was talking about was the same one who came to see me before school was out. I was nervous about him, but it didn't seem like John wanted to hurt me, he just wanted to know if I was Robin Scorpio," she saw Faith look confused. "Scorpio was my maiden name."

"Well, thanks for coming in. I think we have everything we need. Brad will be arraigned this afternoon and depending on how he pleads, hopefully this will be over soon." Faith said. She smiled warmly at Robin. "You were amazing yesterday, Mrs. Drake. From what Sonny has told me, this guy was an idiot to mess with you two. I have read what you have been through."

Patrick squeezed Robin's hand. "She is the strongest woman I know."

Robin blushed. "Okay, enough with the flattery," she stood up and smiled. "We have another appointment to get to. I really appreciate you keeping us informed on what happens later."

"Of course." Sonny said and they walked out.

XXXXX

"Did you have any specific pain when you were relaxing last night after the ordeal? Did you notice any dizziness, blurred vision, shaking hands?" Dr. Coleman was talking to Robin and Patrick after he performed an exam.

"I don't think so. I have been so focused on other things lately, I didn't notice. I feel good today, so I think everything is fine." Robin wanted to get out of there.

"I need you to take it very easy for the next few days. I am concerned about an exacerbation and with you being pregnant; there are limited options to treat you. I want to keep you as stable as possible." Coleman looked at Patrick. "I am glad you're okay, too."

Patrick smiled. "We have both been through too much lately. We are going away for a week on Monday, so relaxation is on the menu."

"Good. You'll call me if you need anything, okay?" Coleman smiled.

"I will, thanks." Robin said and Coleman left.

XXXXX

She was quiet as they left the hospital and Patrick wondered what was going through her mind. "How about we take a stroll in the park?" he suggested.

She smiled at him. "Sure, if you feel up to it."

He smiled and nodded and she pulled the car into the lot by the lake. They got out and Patrick put his arm around her as they walked to their favorite bench. Patrick sat down and she stood in front of him.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked her as he pulled her closer to him.

"How close I came to losing you. How lucky I am that you are okay," she sat down. "Something happened to me after you were hit by that car, Patrick. Liz called it shock, but I think it was more than that. It was kind of like I simply stopped feeling things. I didn't cry, or scream, I just was there, in body, but I felt like everything else about me was gone. It is hard for me to shake that feeling."

He rubbed her back as she wiped her eyes. "I know what you mean."

She gave him a questioning glance and he continued. "When you were in the hospital after Neil took us, I had a similar experience. They were going to perform brain surgery and there was a big chance you would never recover. I shut down in a similar manner."

XXXXX

_Patrick let them take him to where she was. He walked in and saw her lying in the bed, so still and unmoving. He wasn't even sure she was breathing. He walked up to the side of the bed and took her hand in his. "Robin, you are going to have a procedure to help you feel better. I know you tried to tell me something was wrong, and I didn't hear you," he sobbed. "I know I said I would hear you and I didn't. I don't know how to show you how sorry I am for that. I am so sorry," he leaned in and kissed her. "I also need you to know I believe in you and your strength. You are a fighter and you need to fight to come back to me. Think of us, standing in the butterfly exhibit, surrounded by the beautiful species and feel yourself taking energy from that, from me. I love you. Please don't leave me," he saw the doctors and nurses come in and unhook her and wheel her out. He stood there, in the empty room, the debris of her care around him, and he sank to the floor in despair._

_XXXXX_

"_How long does this operation take?" Matt paced the waiting room with Patrick. He had arrived soon after Robin went in and he was as nervous as his brother. He had come in and found Patrick sitting in the middle of the exam area. He had coaxed him out into the lounge, but he was truly worried for his brother's health. He had never seen him this despondent. He didn't think his brother would survive losing Robin. _

"_Something must have happened and they are trying to figure out how to tell me." Patrick said without moving._

_Matt looked at him. "That's not true and you know it. The doctors will come out as soon as they can. There first priority must be Robin and not telling us anything."_

_Patrick shrugged. "I yelled at her, you know."_

_Matt looked at him. "What are you talking about?"_

_"I told her getting a long-term sub was like giving up and that she was taking the easy way out," he almost choked on the words. "Can you believe that? What a Prince, she's home for a day and I am already calling her a quitter. I am a fucking idiot." _

_Matt shook his head. "Dude, I have known you my whole life and you are a lot of things, but self deprecating isn't one of them. So you got angry with her to motivate her, so fucking what? She loves you and it wouldn't matter if you begged her to push or to quit, Robin wouldn't do anything she didn't want to do and you know that. Stop this train of thought right now, Patrick, it's dumb."_

_Patrick looked at him. "Dumb?"_

_Matt smiled. "Dumb."_

_Patrick snorted. "You never were the vocabulary wordsmith."_

Matt was happy to see his brother take a breath. He walked over to sit down when they both saw the sight at the same time, the doctors all coming towards them. Patrick grabbed his brother's shoulder and they both braced for the worst.

XXXXX

I was so lost without you. I just didn't think I could function again. It wasn't like I consciously decided to give up, I just couldn't do anything," he looked at her and saw her eyes spill over with tears.

"That's exactly what I felt. It's like you just described everything about me," she was in awe of their connection even after everything.

"I propose we stop having reasons to feel so connected in sadness. I would much rather feel connected through other ways," he leaned in and kissed her neck before placing his hands under her shirt.

She closed her eyes and relished the feel of him on her skin. "I think that's a great idea."

"I missed watching your face the last time we made love. I think you owe me a do over," he grinned as he moved to her mouth.

"I thought you said it was exciting making love to me through other senses," she said as she turned away and smiled.

"Where are you going?" he pouted.

"To the car. We are outside and I am not about to get arrested for indecent exposure. Care to join me?" she grinned.

He stood up and took her hand. "Your chariot awaits."


	17. Chapter 31-32

Chapter Thirty-One:

"Patrick, it's beautiful." Robin said as they stepped into their resort hotel in Hilton Head South Carolina. She looked at the breathtaking view from the balcony of their room.

"I still can't believe were able to get this upgrade." Patrick put down their bags and watched his wife look outside.

She turned and grinned at him. "I know. Your brother did something pretty amazing," she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Remind me to thank him when we get back."

He leaned in and kissed her and said a silent thank you to his brother for calling in a favor. He knew one of the air traffic controllers in the South Carolina area and he was able to pull a few strings and get them a 3-day stay in the ocean front resort hotel. They had a huge area of private beach where they could enjoy themselves. He walked over to the bed and sat down.

"Are you okay?" she asked as she joined him on the bed. It had only been a week since Brad attacked her and Patrick regained her sight. She wanted to make sure he wasn't overdoing it, but they had gotten the all clear form all of the doctors to take this trip.

He looked at her and smiled. "I am wonderful. I just love you so much and I want everything to be okay."

She ran her hand through his hair and rested her head on his chest. "We are here and relatively healthy, so I think everything will be okay."

He held her to him and kissed her forehead. "What shall we do first?"

She smiled. "Let's go sit by our private pool."

He looked at his right arm. "I don't think I can go swimming just yet," he looked at his cast.

"That's why we have a private pool. I can get you wet just where it's safe," she grinned and he laughed.

"I see," he got up and walked to the beachfront walkout. "It is beautiful."

She walked next to him and took his hand in hers. "Come on, let's get into our suites."

A few minutes later Patrick sat outside on the lounge chair next to their secluded pool. He kept his dark sunglasses on as the bright lights still bothered his healing eyes. He had on his swim trunks and he sipped on a beer. He watched as she walked out to him and had on her beach cover. She placed the towel down on the chair and took off her cover up revealing her blue bikini. He reached to her and she turned to him.

"You are so beautiful," he said.

"I'm getting fat. I think it was stupid to wear a bikini. It's almost obscene," she said as she looked at herself.

He stood up and pulled her to him. "You are absolutely gorgeous," he leaned down to kiss her and she sucked in her breath as he ran his hand over her still healing wound. "Shit, I'm sorry, baby."

She shook her head. "No, don't be. I'm fine; my side just aches a little. It's okay," she held back her tears and suddenly felt like she was going to be sick. She turned away from him and ran back to the room and into the bathroom.

"Robin, talk to me, what's going on?" he asked her as he followed her back into the suite. He took his glasses off in the safety of the room. He walked to the bathroom and knocked on the door. "Come out and talk to me."

She opened the door and walked out, moving past him to the couch in the suite. She sat down and put her head in her hands, breathing slowly. Patrick brought her a glass of water and sat down next to her. He rubbed her back slowly and she wiped her face. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea."

He tilted her face to him as he spoke. "Why? We are alone in a beautiful resort and there is nothing for us to do but enjoy each other's company. I know there is no place I would rather be."

She shivered as they sat there and she wrapped her arms around him from the side. "I'm sorry, you're right. I guess I just can't get certain things out of my mind and I feel like I'm a mess. I don't see how that can possibly be romantic."

"Robin, I love you, completely. Look at what we have been through in the past month, let alone the past year. It would be enough to destroy anyone, let alone someone who is pregnant with twins and newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. You put so much pressure on yourself and it scares me," he moved to face her. "You watched me get hit by a car and you sat by my side while I fought to live. You weren't fazed by the possibility that I might never see again and you stood your ground in the face of a madman while I did nothing. Baby, you are my hero and my soul mate. I could sit in a cardboard box and just hold your hand and it would be the most romantic time of my life."

She wiped her tears and smiled at him. "You always know what I need. You always know what to say and you are usually very smart."

He laughed. "Usually?"

She stood in front of him and he put his hand on her hip. "Yes, usually. You say I wasn't fazed by your blindness, but to be honest, I was terrified. Not that you would be blind, but that you wouldn't let me help you. You are the most self assured, confident person I know and I was afraid that you would decide you were better off alone."

He smiled. "Whether I can see you or not, you are my wife and you are my world. That will never change."

"Can you forget about my panic attacks?" she smiled.

"Nope, I will take any chance I can get to reassure you of my love and adoration. I just want you to feel good. I want you to relax and let me take care of you," he said softly.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you, too," he said and stood up. He walked over to the stereo and plugged in his ipod. He turned on some music and walked back to her. "May I have this dance?"

She stood up and walked to him, taking his hand and melting into his arms. They swayed together and she felt instantly better. The feel of his skin on hers was intoxicating and she found herself getting lost in the moment. The song ended and she didn't move. "Hey, are you still here?"

She looked up at him. "I'm just tired. Jelly and bean just kick my energy to nothing. Maybe I'll just lie down for a minute."

He watched as she went to the bed and got under the covers. He was worried about her, but he figured he would just let her rest. He looked through the resort book and decided to make a reservation at the resort hotel for dinner. He walked outside and called and then came back in and crawled onto the bed next to her and closed his eyes for a minute.

XXXXXX

"I am so glad you decided to make these reservations." Robin said as she and Patrick walked to the restaurant. They were both feeling much more relaxed and refreshed after their nap and they were famished.

He smiled at his beautiful glowing wife who wore a short white strapless sundress. She had more color to her cheeks and she was happy. "Why don't you go to the bar and grab a seat while we wait for our table. I will go tell them we are here."

"Okay, hurry back," she smiled and watched him walk off. She made her way to the bar and sat down at the counter. She smiled at the bartender. "Water please."

"Come on, a pretty little lady like yourself should have something stronger," a man who looked to be in his 40's came and sat down next to her. "Let me buy you a cocktail."

Robin smiled nicely, but moved slightly in her seat. "No thank you, my husband and I are just here for dinner."

"Right, your husband. If you were mine, I wouldn't leave you alone at a bar for a second," he said and moved closer to her.

"I am sure lines about owning women often work for you," she said as she rolled her eyes. "If you would allow me to give you a bit of advice, women tend to like respect and not to be dominated," she knew her choice of words was not the smartest.

"Dominated, now that is something I can understand," he sneered.

Robin turned to look for Patrick and didn't see him. She played with the glass of water and tried to ignore the man.

"So, how about that _cock_ tail?" he emphasized the first part of the word to her.

She felt the bile rise in her throat as she looked at him. "I am not interested."

"Playing hard to get?" he asked.

Robin decided she had enough. She would go find Patrick instead of waiting. She stood up and turned to leave when the man grabbed her arm. "Hey, I wasn't finished," he said.

Patrick walked towards her and saw she looked uncomfortable. He had a hard time seeing everything clearly but he didn't miss a beat when the guy grabbed her arm. He made it there in time to see his wife throw her water in the man's face.

Robin looked at her husband and smiled. "He needed to be cooled off," she put the glass down on the bar and turned to Patrick. "I would like to eat now."

Patrick smiled and took her arm. "Dare I ask?"

"He was just hitting on me, albeit a bit crudely. I guess it's nice to know I still have it," she grinned as she held his arm.

He pulled her to him. "I could have told you that you still have it," he led her to their table and they sat down. "But I am the only one who gets it."

She grinned. "You are, but it's nice to know someone else might want it."

He pouted. "But I am the only one you want to give it too, right?"

She laughed. "I am so lost," she looked at his expression and smiled. "You are the only one who will have all of me, and you can have it whenever you want it," she moved her foot to his leg.

"Now I get it," he said as his eyes widened. "Can we get a carry out?"

Chapter Thirty-Two:

Patrick walked Robin back to their room after their dinner date. Things had gone well after her run-in with the bar creep and they had finally enjoyed their meal. Both of them were silent as they walked through their door.

"It's a beautiful night." Patrick said as he closed the door and locked it.

She walked to the door wall, which led out to their private pool. "It is."

He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his hands on her stomach. "Want to check out the pool?"

She smiled as she leaned back into him. "You still have a cast.

"I can cover it," he moved her to look at him. "Are you okay?" he touched her face. She had been through so much and she never let anything stop her.

"I'm amazing. Let's get into the pool," she turned away from him.

"Where are you going?"

"To get my suit."

"It's a private pool. We don't need a suit," he grinned at her.

She paused for a minute and looked at him. "No one can see?"

"Only you and me," he licked his lips. "Are you willing to get naked in a pool with your husband?"

She answered him by taking her dress off and walking outside. She took off her bra and panties and left them in a trail on her way out.

Patrick wasted no time in undressing and covering his cast with the plastic he brought. He walked outside and saw her in the water, her gorgeous body visible under the clear liquid. "Are you joining me?"

He walked into the water and over to her. He smiled as she swam to him and inspected his arm. "It's covered," he laughed.

"Just checking," she said as she touched his face. "Thank you."

He ran his hands down her arms. "For what?"

"For being my husband, for giving me 2 babies. For loving me unconditionally," she said and leaned in to kiss him.

He ran his fingers down her chest. "You are my life, Robin. I should thank you," he leaned in and claimed her mouth with his own. He ran his hand down her back and cupped her buttocks as the water rippled around them. The night had fallen and there were a ton of stars in the sky. There was a warm breeze that flowed through the air.

She looked into his eyes and touched his face, searching his features. Her hands roamed to his lips and he smiled. "What's going on?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in to kiss him. "I just can't stop thinking about how close I came to losing you. I look at you and I'm so grateful you are here with me."

He smoothed her hair behind her ears and looked at her with love in his eyes. "You are my whole world, Robin. You are dealing with so much and I worry about what that will do to you. I am fine and I'm not going anywhere. I just need you to promise me the same thing.

She moved back and stood in front of him in the shallow end of the pool. "I'll tell you what. If you don't go and get run down by any more cars, I'll try to lighten up on my stress levels," she grinned at him.

He pretended to think about it and she laughed. "Okay, I think I can take that deal," he pulled her back to him and covered her mouth with his. His tongue parted her lips and he explored her mouth and she sucked on his tongue.

She moaned into his neck as he nibbled his way down her torso. She could feel his erection poking into her stomach as he pulled her closer to him and took one of her breasts into his mouth. He flicked her nipple until it pebbled under his tongue and he did the same for the other. She reached down to his waist and stroked his penis, causing him to suck harder on the skin on her breast. The increased pressure on her already sensitive skin made her cry out.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked her, immediately sorry.

She shook her head. "No, everything is just more sensitive. You feel amazing," she looked at him as he ran his hand down to her waist and over her mound, cupping her softly and rubbing the sensitive area of nerves which made her squirm in delight.

He smiled at her pleasure and she reached down to stroke him more before she straddled him and lowered herself into his throbbing erection. They both inhaled sharply at the sensations they were feeling. Robin moved in circles as she took all of him in and he put his hands on her back, supporting her and helping her keep a rhythm. She moaned into his ear as she stared to feel her orgasm coming and he moved her a little faster to intensify the feelings. The water lapped around them as they loved each other and she saw him look into her eyes as they both gave in to their feelings. He held her face in his hands as she shuddered against him. He held her as they moved out of the water and onto the plush blanket covering the lounge chair. He sat down and she sat next to him, wrapping them in a blanket. He put his hand on her stomach under the blanket.

"I missed watching you give yourself to me," he said softly.

She snuggled into him and was quiet. He ran his hand through her hair. "I love you," she said to him.

He moved a little to look at her and saw her tears. "Baby, what's wrong?"

She sighed. "Do you think I will be a good mother?"

He was shocked at the question. "Robin, you are going to be the best mother. Why would you even ask a question like that?" he saw her chin quivering.

She shrugged. "I don't know."

He decided to try a different tactic. "What do you think makes a good mother?"

She looked at her hands. "I don't know."

"I think a good mother is someone who loves their children no matter what. I think a good mother puts their child above everything, even if it means she suffers without. I think she would teach her child how to laugh and that it's okay to fail, it just means you have to work harder and when you succeed, you appreciate it that much more. A good mother is simply someone who is there, a presence in their child's life," he kissed the top of her head. "Do you plan on doing those things?"

She looked at him. "I do.

"Then problem solved," he smiled at her. "Baby, I know you're scared, so am I. I don't know if our children will even like me. I worry they will feel too much pressure because we are both teachers. I wonder if they will look at me and know how honored I am to be their dad and how much I love their mother," he watched her sit up and turn towards him. "That's what this journey is, Robin. We don't have the answers, but it should be a hell of lot of fun figuring it out."

She touched his face. "This is one of those moments."

"What do you mean?"

"When we are old and gray and we look back at the best moments and memories of our life, this will be one of those moments. It's a time when I didn't think I could love you any more and you proved me wrong. You are simply the best there is," she leaned in and kissed him, for the moment, her fears dissipated.


	18. Chapter 33-34

Chapter Thirty-Three:

Patrick and Robin had been home for a week from their vacation, and were relaxed and happy. The doctor had finally removed the cast from Patrick's arm, and other than still suffering from a little blurred vision when he was tired; he was back to normal. It really was a remarkable recovery. Robin was making dinner for them and catching up on some reading while he went out and ran some errands. She smiled at Toots when she jumped onto the couch next to her. She pet her cat and sighed. Her eyes were tired so she put the book down for a minute and closed them.

Making his way home after running a few errands, Patrick was in a great mood. He felt better then he had in a long time and he was anxious to get back to Robin. She was putting up a good front, but he could tell the fatigue of both her MS and the pregnancy was getting to her. She tired easily and she was still struggling with the morning sickness. He had picked up something to help her, but he wasn't sure if she would agree.

He walked into the house and smelled the aroma of something cooking. Smiling, he walked into the kitchen and put his bags on the table before walking into the family room and seeing her asleep on the couch. His heart swelled at how beautiful she looked and he walked over to take the blanket and cover her up. She moved when she felt the material and he sat on the table across from her as she opened her brown eyes.

"Hey," She said as she sat up slowly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," he said as he leaned in to kiss her.

She smiled. "I just meant to close my eyes for a second. She looked at her watch. "Oh my gosh, it's been almost an hour," she jumped up but her feet didn't follow and she almost fell flat on her face. Patrick caught her and she held onto him. She sat back down and put her head in her hands, trying to steady herself.

"Robin, look at me," he said softly. "It's okay."

She sighed. "I just can't get used to this, Patrick. My mind works but my body doesn't follow," she laughed. "I guess my mind really isn't working."

He took her hands in his. "What will it take for you to give yourself a break?"

"I can't," she said and stood up much slower. She felt her legs steady under her and she turned to walk into the kitchen.

He followed her. "Why can't you?"

She turned around and leaned against the wall, crossing her arms in front of her. "If I give myself a break, it means I'm okay with this and I'm not."

He walked up to her and stroked her cheeks. "I don't think that's what it means."

She smiled at him. "I don't need a pep talk. I'm really okay, but I can't just let this disease get to me."

"Taking a moment to rest or allowing yourself more time for things doesn't mean that you are okay with it, but it's a necessary way for you to find your new normal. Baby, we are going to have our hands full in several months with two babies who will demand all of our attention. I need you to be okay and to be healthy," he smoothed her hair behind her.

She hugged him. "I know that, I do, but I will never accept this disease into my life. I will fight it every step of the way and I don't care what anyone says."

He stepped back. "You don't care what I say?"

She sighed. "Patrick, this isn't about what you say or do. I feel like I'm sitting and waiting for the next symptom to invade my body. I wake up and worry that my legs wont work and I go outside and worry that the heat will stop me in my tracks. I think about my job and I wonder if I will ever work again. But the worst part of this whole thing is the fact that I am pregnant and what should be the biggest blessing is making me scared to move," she wiped her eyes. "You say all of the right things and of course I care, but at the end of the day, I am simply scared."

He nodded and walked to the kitchen table. "I love you and I wish I could help you. I don't know what to do to make you see what I see."

She sat down across from him. "What's that?"

"I see the woman who was my rock through the hardest time in my life. I was so lost, Robin, and you stood by me and never wavered. You have loved me unconditionally since we met and I wonder if you will ever allow me to do the same for you," he looked at her with tears in his eyes.

She stood up and walked over to him before bending down and kissing his cheek. "I'm sorry," she turned and walked out to the front porch. She stood there with the wind blowing through her hair and her mind running. She didn't know how to do what he wanted. She sat down on the steps and leaned against the banister. What was she supposed to do? How does someone just accept that life as they knew it was over? She owed Patrick more than just acceptance. She had to fight. She looked up as he stepped out onto the porch.

"Can I join you?"

She smiled. "Of course."

He sat his long frame down next to her and took a deep breath. "What do you think will happen if you let me in all the way?"

"What do you mean? I do let you in."

He shook his head. "No, you only let me see what you want me to see. Your fears and uncertainties are hidden. You don't let yourself be vulnerable in front of me. You try to make everything okay for me and it's not fair. I know you're keeping things to yourself and it breaks my heart. I can take it. Let me help you," he touched her face and her tears spilled over her cheeks. "I'm your husband, Robin. I'm not going to leave you."

The last words struck a chord and he knew it. She wiped her eyes and swallowed her emotions again. "I don't know what you want me to say. I don't know how to do what you want me to do."

"Maybe you can simply tell me what you're worried about?" he smiled.

She sighed. "Nobody has ever put me first, Patrick. I did everything I could growing up to be the perfect child. I got good grades and had nice friends. I never got into trouble and I did everything to make my parents proud. But in the end, they left me. My needs were never a priority to them and I have never been able to understand why," she looked at him. "Now, everything about me has changed. When you married me, I was healthy and now the future is so unclear and I don't want you to do what they did, so I guess I just want you to see me as the woman you married. I realize that makes you sound so shallow and I truly don't mean it that way, I'm just scared, Patrick. I don't want to lose you," she wiped her eyes.

His heart broke at her admission. "There is nothing you could do that would make me leave you," he moved closer to her and cupped her face in his hands. "Do you hear me?"

She nodded at his words, but looked down.

"I want you to say it," he said and smiled. "You know it helps to remember things when we say them.

"Don't get all teacher voice with me," she smiled for the first time.

"Then do as I ask. Let me hear it," he grinned.

"This is silly, Patrick, I'm fine. I just had an off afternoon."

He shook his head. "Your fears are not silly. I think it's something you are truly scared of and I can understand why. I can't tell you why your parents left. I look at our picture of Jelly and Bean and I know that even though they are just tiny blobs right now, I would give my life for them. Baby, you and I are in this for the long haul. We are going to be the best parents to our children and I will love you more each day. I will not leave you."

She reached up and touched his chest. "Okay."

"Okay what?" he smiled.

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "You will never leave me," she said and then he pulled her into his arms. She felt a huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. How did he do that? She backed away from him and he smiled.

"I don't think we should call our babies blobs," she said softly.

He laughed. "Good point. Can we go in and eat? I'm hungry."

She stroked his cheek. "Not until you kiss me."

He leaned in and kissed her nose and then jumped up, running into the house.

She jumped up and followed him. "Oh, you want to play that way, do you? She laughed as she chased him.

Chapter Thirty-Four:

Patrick and Robin were on their way to her doctor's appointment and they were both excited. "Do you want to find out the sex of the babies?" Robin asked him.

He smiled. "Do you think we will be able to?"

"I am at 4 months, so we should, if they aren't shy," she smiled and put her hand on her growing stomach.

"Do you want to know?" he glanced at her.

"I don't know. I think it would be cool to be surprised, but then we won't know what colors to prepare for," she shrugged. "I don't know."

He pulled into a parking space and turned to look at her. "Let's see if they can tell and then decide."

"Sounds like a plan," she smiled as they walked in.

After being taken back into a room, Robin lay on the table with her gown on and a sheet covering her and Patrick sitting next to her. She leaned back and took a deep breath. "What are you thinking about?" he asked as he played with her hair.

She looked at him. "How amazing this is," she touched his cheek. "I would have never pictured myself in this position a few years ago."

He nodded. "I know what you mean. I feel like this is a dream," he put his hand on her stomach. "Is it weird that I love them so much already?"

She felt tears come to her eyes at his words. "You are too amazing," she said and smiled as she wiped her eyes. "Stupid hormones."

He leaned in and kissed her, about to say something when the door opened and he sat back down. Robin smiled as she looked at the doctor.

"Hi Robin, Patrick, how are you doing?" Max asked as he walked in and sat down. There was a nurse with him and she smiled at them.

"We are doing really well. Other than being tired, I feel good." Robin said.

"I have been trying to explain to my wife that growing 2 babies is hard work and she should expect to be tired," he smiled at her. "I'm exhausted and I'm not doing anything."

Max smiled. "Well, looking over your weight and pressure, I think we might need to make a few adjustments to your diet. Carrying twins is taxing on anyone, and with your tiny frame, we need to make sure the babies are getting enough nutrients and not depleting yours. You need to put on a little more weight before your next appointment. How has your appetite been?"

"Okay, I guess. The morning sickness has been better. I guess I just haven't been making a huge effort to eat a lot, but I will." Robin said and Patrick squeezed her hand.

"Good. Otherwise, your blood pressure was a little high, but nothing to be concerned with. How have you been handling everything else? Any neurological issues?"

"Not really. I have had some dizziness when I stand up quickly, but if I move slower, I'm okay," she said.

"That doesn't necessarily have to be neurological. It isn't uncommon for pregnant women to have blood pressure fluctuations which cause dizziness. I want you to keep track of your symptoms and let me know if you notice any type of pattern."

"Okay, we'll do that," she said and Patrick nodded.

"So, shall we see how the babies are growing?" Max asked.

Robin smiled and Patrick squeezed her hand. "We sure are."

The nurse moved the ultra sound machine into position and plugged in the information. Max moved her gown and placed the jelly on her skin before beginning. They all were quiet while the images were located. He smiled as he pointed to the screen. "Here is baby A," he showed them a shaded area that was moving around a lot. "Lot's of movement is a good thing, active little one," he moved the wand a little more and smiled. "Here is baby B, looks to be a little smaller, but just as active. Have you felt them moving yet?"

She shook her head. "No, should I?"

"Not necessarily, but you should begin to feel them in the next month," he smiled.

Patrick couldn't take his eyes off the images. Those were his children. He swallowed the lump in his throat. He wasn't sure if he would be able to see another picture of his babies. He almost didn't.

"What is it?" Robin touched his cheek, seeing his expression.

He smiled and kissed her hand. "Nothing, I'm just amazed."

The nurse smiled at the couple. She had seen many expectant parents in her time at the hospital, but there was something different about the Drakes. They were the epitome of love and connection. Everyone in the hospital knew about them, mostly from Maxie, but also from the fight they both gave to live this life and the tenacity with which they face their issues. They were remarkable people.

"One more thing," Max said as he moved something on the machine. He waited and they all heard the unmistakable sound of the heartbeats of their children. They were beating strong and in tandem. Robin gasped.

"Is that their heartbeats?" she asked.

"Yes. They sound strong and healthy, Robin. Everything looks great," he smiled at them as he stepped back and the nurse cleaned Robin off. "So, do you want to know what you are having?"

Patrick and Robin smiled at each other. "No," they both said in unison. "But we reserve the right to change our mind later." Patrick grinned.

Max smiled. "You got it," he picked up her chart. "I will see you all again in 3 weeks unless something comes up and you want to come in. I would like you to come by in 2 weeks for a weigh in, to make sure you are putting on enough weight."

"Okay, thanks." The Drakes said and after they were alone, Patrick looked at her, his pride mirrored in her face.

"You are so amazing," he said to her.

"No, we did this together. This is the best of both of us," she said as she sat up and he handed her clothes to her.

"Let's go celebrate," he helped her down and smiled at her.

She grinned and they left.

XXXXX

After arriving home, Robin sat on the couch and Patrick went to make them some sandwiches. She closed her eyes and put her hands on her stomach. She was so happy and so content. Hearing him come into the room she opened her eyes.

"Here," he handed her some lemonade and put the sandwiches on the table.

She took a long drink and smiled. "This is perfect," she took a bite of the sandwich. "I'm hungry."

"Good because I need to fatten you up," he smiled as he ate with her.

"Just wait until I'm too fat to move. You won't like me then," she smiled. "You might have to roll me around the room."

He smiled. "Somehow I doubt that," he leaned in to kiss her. "I have something for you."

She chewed her food. "What? Why?"

"Just because," he smiled and handed her a wrapped package. She took it and grinned.

He moved the plate and sat closer to her as she opened the package. She looked inside and then looked at him. "Oh Patrick, is this what I think it is?"

He leaned on his arm and smiled. "Our babies first books."

She held the huge Richard Scary books in her hands and felt her tears come. "These were the first books my parents read to me. I loved them and the memories I have sitting with them and learning about all of the places in town," she looked through the pages. "Lowly worm was my favorite."

He smiled at her excitement. "On one of our first dates, you told me one of the reasons you became an English teacher was because of how important reading and books were to you growing up. I want our children to have that same experience and I want their thirst for knowledge to be just like their mom."

She put the books down and cupped his face in her hands. "And their dad. They are so lucky to have you as a father Patrick, and I am so lucky to be your wife."

He put his hand on her stomach and leaned in to kiss her. "We are both so blessed."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Please leave me a review if you have a minute


	19. Chapter 35-36

Chapter Thirty-Five:

Patrick sat at the bar with Matt and Lucky. They had all gone out to play some pool and have some drinks while Robin, Liz and Maxie were having a day at the spa. "How are things going with Liz?" Patrick asked Lucky.

"Good. She has had a really hard time with what Brad did to you guys, but she is starting to come around. I just hate how much this guy messed with her." Lucky said as he took a drink.

"I know, but she has you to show her how she deserves to be treated." Matt said and Patrick smiled.

"You're finally growing up," he said and Matt tossed a peanut at him.

"We all can't have perfect relationships like yours." Matt said.

Patrick rolled his eyes. "Right, like Robin and I have been perfect. More like anything but perfect," he grinned. "But it's pretty damn great."

Lucky laughed. "You can't hide it. You and Robin are solid and it's nauseating."

Matt laughed and Patrick shrugged. "When you're right, you're right," he said and wondered how Robin's day was going.

"See, look at him, he's thinking of her right now." Matt said and Patrick blushed.

XXXXX

Robin smiled as she took a bite of her salad. Maxie and Liz were arguing about the best way to learn science facts. Liz was arguing from a teaching perspective while Maxie was stuck on what got her through med school. They both looked at her. "What do you think, Robin?" Maxie asked.

"Oh, no way am I getting in the middle of this one. I will stick to my Shakespeare and Ibsen and leave the chemistry to you two," she grinned. "Although I must say, the chemistry between you and your men seems to be just fine."

Liz smiled. "Lucky is nice, but we are taking it slow. I don't want to rush into everything, especially after what happened," she looked at Robin. "I still can't believe he almost killed Patrick and what he did to you, it's just unbelievable."

Robin shook her head. "The worst is what you went through. Lizzie, you and I have been friends since we were little kids. You did nothing to deserve this and nothing Brad did was your fault. I think it's time we all moved on."

Maxie smiled. "Listen to my cousin. Sometimes she is actually right about something."

Robin rolled her eyes. "Nice."

Liz grinned. "So tell me what you have planned for your night with Patrick?"

Robin blushed. "Nothing, just an evening together."

Liz and Maxie exchanged glances. "So what did you have to run to the store and pick up this morning?"

"Something," she said and smiled.

"Something sexy?" Maxie pushed.

"Something that is none of your business," she smiled and they all laughed.

XXXXX

Patrick was sitting and watching tv when Robin got home. She put the package she picked up in the closet and walked in to see him. He smiled when he saw her, getting up to meet her.

She pulled him to her for a kiss that lingered and when they parted she wiped his lips. "Hi. I missed you."

"I missed you, too," he said as they sat down. "You smell amazing."

She smiled. "The massage was so amazing. Alexander used the best technique and got down to the base of the knots in my neck. The oils were warm and smelled so good."

Patrick looked at her. "Alexander? You had another man touching you?"

She nodded. "He was very gentle, don't worry."

"I'm not worried about him being gentle, I'm worried about his hands all over my wife," he pouted.

She touched his cheek. "It was a chair massage and I wore my tank top. He massaged my neck and shoulders. Nothing inappropriate. The only man who will ever be inappropriate with me is you."

He smiled. "Good."

"But just so you know, I did learn a few techniques we can try later," she leaned in and kissed him.

"Why wait until later?" he pulled her to him.

"We don't, but I have something for you first," she jumped up and almost fell again. "Shit, I have to stop doing that," she sat down quickly.

He held her hand. "Just breathe slowly," he smoothed her hair from her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

She smiled. "I'm fine. This isn't stopping me right now," she stood up slowly and walked to get the package.

Patrick sighed and knew he had to not let it bother him as well. She was handling all of these adjustments much better than he was. He looked up as she walked in and put a large wrapped package on the table in front of them.

"What is this?" he asked her.

She looked at him. "I have been doing a lot of thinking over the last few months and I know that much of what has gone on with me has made you feel left out," she took his hand in hers and continued. "I have learned so much from you, and the most important thing is that I am not alone in life. This pregnancy has been the biggest blessing I could have ever received and it is because of you that I am even able to appreciate my life," she wiped her eyes. "Then there is the fact that I have a disease which is incurable and might possibly alter the view of how we saw our future. I have been feeling very sorry for myself and it finally occurred to me that you are with me in all of this. We are both dealing with this disease and it has been incredibly unfair of me to shut you out."

He shook his head. "You haven't shut me out, Robin. I don't have any problems with how you are dealing with anything. I love you and I am so proud of how you face everything."

She stroked his cheek and smiled. "I know, but I am going to do better," she picked up the package and handed it to him. "This is a reminder of how I want to see things. This is what I want for us."

He looked at her with a confused glance and then ripped the paper off the package. It was a beautiful photograph of the butterflies in the exhibit from the zoo. She had blown it up and on the bottom was the scientific name she had learned from him. He looked at her. "It's beautiful, Robin."

She smiled. "I went back and took it a few days after we were there the first time. I remember exactly what you told me that day. ___"I wanted you to see this because sometimes I think we get lost in the gravity of our day to day lives and we forget that the world is such a vast and incredible place. There is so much out there to be thankful for and so much we have yet to understand. I think sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the enormity of our fears and if we step back and see the bigger picture, it helps us to gain clarity." _

He was blown away. "How do you remember that?"

"It was another one of those moments. Women remember things like that," she grinned at him. "I thought you could put it in your classroom."

He nodded. "That's a great idea," he put it down and looked at her. "Can we go into the bedroom so I can thank you properly?"

She leaned in and kissed him. "I thought you would never ask."

He walked into the bedroom and she followed him, asking herself for the millionth time how she got so lucky. She smiled as he turned to face her and pulled her into his arms. He pulled her shirt up and off her head and leaned in to capture her mouth with his. She worked on unbuttoning his shirt and finally was able to run her hands under the fabric and make contact with his skin. She moaned as he reached behind her and unclasped her bra, running his hands over her swollen breasts.

"Do you know how grateful I am that you're in my life?" he asked her.

She smiled at him and ran her hands through his hair. "I do, because I feel the same way," she pushed his shirt off and moved her hands to the top of his pants. She slowly unbuttoned and then unzipped his jeans and ran her hands over his rear. He pushed his hips into her and lowered his head to kiss her neck.

"Come here," she said as she walked to the bed and lay down. He shimmied out of his pants and briefs and joined her, lying next to her while propped on one arm. He ran his hand over her torso and down to her slightly swollen abdomen where his children were growing. She looked into his eyes and grinned. "Are you going to make me wait long?"

He laughed. "Sorry, just mesmerized by you."

"Well stare later, I need you to love me, now," she pulled him onto her and they both laughed at her boldness. He moved down her torso and gently removed her pants and her panties before moving back up to her face. He felt such an enormous amount of love and respect for her and he couldn't get enough.

"Are you okay?" she asked him. "If you don't want to do this, it's okay. I didn't mean to push," she was concerned with his hesitancy and hoped he was feeling okay.

He smiled at her and shook his head. "It's just that sometimes you take my breath away," he lowered his mouth to hers again and pressed his chest to hers as she wrapped her arms around him, holding him to her.

"I know the feeling," she said as he entered her and they both gave themselves to the passion and intensity of their love.

Chapter Thirty-Six:

Robin was at the mall shopping for some maternity clothes. She also needed to get some school supplies for her classroom. School was starting again in a few weeks and she wanted to be able to start the year off right. She knew Patrick wanted her to take the whole year off, but she didn't want to do that. As long as it was safe for her to work, she wanted to stay in the classroom. She smiled at the women in the store, seeing how happy they were being pregnant. She felt the same way and she tried to take a minute to appreciate her situation when she could. She had waited for this her whole life and to be sharing it with Patrick was just the most perfect thing. Her life was amazing.

She walked to purchase some of the clothes she found and the saleswoman smiled at her. "When are you due?"

Robin blushed. "Not for another 4 months, but I'm having twins."

"Your first?"

"Yes," she smiled

"Multiples are the best. I have a set of twins." The woman in line behind Robin said. "I had mine first and then when I had a singleton, it was a piece of cake," she looked at her stomach. "This is number 4."

Robin smiled. "That's great. Does it get any easier with each one?"

The woman shook her head. "Easier? No, but different," she looked at Robin. "You'll love it."

"I already do." Robin said softly as she took her change and dropped the coins. "Oh, sorry," she went to pick them up but had trouble grasping them. The cashier picked them up and handed them to her. "Thanks." Robin said and took the bag before walking out. She made her way to a bench and sat down, concentrating on her breathing. Relax, this is normal, she told herself. She was getting used to the subtle ways this disease poked its ugly head out when she didn't expect it, but she was still thrown for a loop. She was determined to keep going, so she stood up and moved to the next stop.

XXXXXX

Robin had been shopping for a couple hours and everything hurt. Her legs ached and her back hurt and her head was pounding. She knew she had overdone it, but everything seemed to creep up on her fast. She made her way to her car and called Patrick.

"Hi babe. Where are you?" Patrick answered.

His rich voice made her heart flutter. "Just got to my car. I'll be home soon."

"Is everything okay? Did you get what you needed?" he smiled as he spoke to her. He had been home working on lesson plans for the upcoming year, but he was tired of it. He was ready to do something else.

"I did, but I think I've had enough. I should be home soon. Do you mind if we just order something for dinner? I can stop on my way and pick it up," she yawned into the phone.

"Sure, but if you're too tired, I can pick it up," he didn't want to upset her, but she sounded beat.

"No, it's okay. I can make one more stop. I'll be home soon," she said. "I love you."

"I love you too," he said before they decided what to get.

XXXXXX

Patrick filled the tub with bubbles and laid out a surprise for Robin. He didn't like how tired her voice sounded and he knew she wasn't feeling so great. He heard her car in the driveway and he walked to meet her at the door. She smiled a huge smile as he opened the door and took the packages from her. He put the food in the fridge and walked to take her purse.

"What are you doing?" she asked him, not able to keep the smile off her face.

"Taking care of my wife," he said and took her hand, leading her into the bedroom. "I have the tub filled with bubbles waiting for you and I will be your personal bather," he grinned.

"Oh really? What exactly is a personal bather?" she looked into his eyes.

"Someone who helps you relax," he said seductively.

She pretended to think about it. "Hmm, well, what is it going to cost me?"

"It's a free service I provide. However, if you want any extra's, it might cost you something," he leaned in and kissed her.

"I'll take the basic package," she said seriously.

He scoffed at her. "There is nothing about this package that's basic."

"I thought we were talking about my bath," she said innocently. "What package were you referring to?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he said. "Are you ready to be pampered?"

She sat down on the bed and smiled. "I just need a minute."

He knelt in front of her. "Are you okay?" he took her hands.

She nodded. "I think I just overdid it a little. My body is a little achy. It will be fine after the bath," she smiled.

He knew that if she said she was a little achy, she was probably in a lot of pain. He stood up. "Okay, time for me to take over. How shall we get you naked?"

She laughed. "I think I can handle my shoes, but the rest might be a challenge."

"The personal bather is at your service," he helped her pull off her shirt and he helped her up before he pulled her pants off. She stepped out of the material and he noticed her leg quivering. His heart ached at her ability to hold all of that inside and not focus on what he knew scared her. He smiled at her and gently removed her bra and panties. She stood there, naked, her swollen stomach beautiful to him and her body magnificent. He picked her up in his arms.

"You are going to break your back," she said. "I'm a cow."

He carried her into the bathroom and put her down. "Robin, you are not a cow and I am perfectly capable of carrying you," he held her by the shoulders. "The water is warm, but not hot, so you should be okay, but if it feels too hot, I'll add some cold. He helped her sit in the tub and she smiled as the water enveloped her.

"Aren't you joining me?" she asked him.

"Nope. My job is strictly to service you," he grinned. "You just relax."

He pulled his shirt off and took the soft bath sponge he bought. He dipped it in the water and rubbed it over her neck and her shoulders. He moved behind her and placed his hands on her back, massaging her skin and moving his hands around to her chest, nuzzling her neck with his mouth. She leaned back into him and moaned as his hands grazed her sensitive breasts. She turned to kiss him but he moved his mouth.

"Not yet," he said as he moved down her body, massaging her torso and finally resting his hands on her stomach. She covered his hands and closed her eyes.

"Why are you teasing me?" she whispered.

"Not teasing, pampering," he murmured, trying to control his need to take her on the floor right there. His pants were way too constricting, but he was trying to keep his focus on her. He moved to the said of the tub and faced her, sitting on the floor next to the tub.

She reached her hand and stroked his face. "I love you."

He kissed her palm. "I love you too," he took the washcloth and moved it down her legs, reaching his hands under the water and massaging her skin. She watched him as he moved the cloth up her thighs and she moaned again as he brushed her center. He smiled at her before pulling his hands up and standing up. "You soak a few more minutes and then we will continue."

She stood up slowly, letting the water drip off of her. "I'm good," she stepped out of the tub and her legs wobbled, but he held her.

She rested her head on his chest and felt his arms around her, holding her tightly. "I'm okay, baby, you can let go."

He released her. "Sorry."

She reached up to cup his face in her hands. "It's okay," she shivered and he wrapped a towel around her. "It's just something else to get used to," she walked into the bedroom.

"You know, I think we have gotten used to enough things today. I want to fall back into something tried and true," he grinned at her.

Grateful he wasn't dwelling on what happened, she looked at him. "What something are you referring to?"

"The deluxe package," he said and removed his pants and underwear before crawling onto the bed.

"That's the deluxe package?" she raised her eyebrows.

He looked at her with mock horror. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I always thought of it as superior," she grinned and he moved to pull her towel off, laughing with her.

"Superior is better than deluxe, right?" he asked as she moved to lie next to him on the bed.

"So much better. Everything about you is superior," she said and noticed how he immediately became tender with her when he touched her. She loved the way he loved her. She moved her hands over his torso when she felt the strangest sensation. She sat up quickly and he looked at her.

"What is it? Did I hurt you?" he asked, concerned at her tears.

"No, I think I felt the babies move," she said and looked at him. Her face lit up as she felt it again. "There it was again."

He was amazed. "Can I feel it?"

"I don't think so, it's like a little flutter, not strong enough from the outside," she looked at him. "Like a butterfly."

He wiped her eyes and lowered her to the bed. "Thank you," he said as he stroked her cheek.

"No, thank you for this amazing life," she pulled him to her and they made love slowly and passionately.


	20. Chapter 37-38

Chapter Thirty-Seven:

"I can't believe they expect us to implement these new policies every year. Just because we have a new Principal, we don't need to reinvent the wheel. Just let me go into my classroom and teach my kids." Patrick said as he sat with Robin in his classroom after they had their first staff meeting before school started.

"I know, but you know how it is. The new administration thinks they have all the answers and if we follow their rules, everything will be perfect," she smiled. "You know that after the first few days, everything will be back to normal because nothing ever changes," she stood up and touched her belly.

"Are you okay?" he walked over to her.

She put his hand on her belly and smiled when he looked at her. "Jelly and bean must be dancing," he said.

"On my bladder," she said and rolled her eyes. It had been another month and Patrick had felt the babies kick numerous times. Everything was moving along well and Robin had been feeling really good. She rubbed her stomach.

"You know, you can take your leave all year," he said. It wasn't the first time he had pressed her to take the year off, but she always refused.

"Patrick, you know I want to work. I can't just sit home, I'll go crazy," she said. "As long as Max says I can stay working, I want to do that," she said.

"I know; I just don't want you to over do it," he said. "I love you."

She walked to him and hugged him. "I will not over do it. And I love you too."

They heard someone clearing their throat from the door and Robin blushed as they saw Liz and Lucky standing there. "Get a room." Liz said as they walked in.

Robin laughed. "We are in a room."

"Whatever," she laughed. "So what do you think about these asinine demands our new leadership has?"

Lucky walked in behind her and smiled. "I told her to relax and wait a week. In my experience, none of these new policies ever last."

Robin grinned. "That's what I told Patrick."

"So did you guys meet the new science teacher?" Liz asked.

Robin shook her head. "No, is she nice?"

"If you like a 21 year old newbie. She is going to get eaten alive." Liz said.

"I told Elizabeth that it might be nice to help her." Lucky said.

Robin smiled. "That's a good idea. You should help her."

Patrick was watching the exchange with a smile on his face. Robin seemed so happy and back to her normal self. There was no mention of anything other than shoptalk and he loved it.

"I don't do help. She can sink or swim." Liz said.

Lucky came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "You put up a good fight, but we all know you are a softy," he said.

Patrick and Robin laughed when Liz shrugged. "You aren't supposed to share my soft side with anyone," she turned and kissed his cheek.

"I can't help it," he kissed her.

"Now who needs to get a room?" Robin said and they all laughed and continued to talk shop.

XXXXX

Robin was finally in her room setting some things up before they left for the day. School started in two days and she felt like there was a ton of things to do. She sat at her desk and looked over her class list. It was always exciting to start a new school year and she felt her familiar set of nerves setting in. As worried as kids were to start school, the teachers were just as apprehensive. She tried to pronounce the names of her students and felt the babies kicking again. She smiled as she rubbed her belly. "Give mommy a break little ones," she continued writing her lesson plans and heard a knock on the door.

"Hi, are you Mrs. Drake?" A young woman asked.

"Yes, but it's Robin," she said, seeing this woman was also a teacher.

"I am Emily Cassadine," she said. "I'm the new science teacher here."

Robin walked over to her. "So nice to meet you Emily," she shook her hand. The woman was youmg, but not as young as Liz had said. "The name Cassadine is familiar, but I don't know why."

"My husband is a neurosurgeon at General Hospital. Maybe you saw him?" Emily said.

Robin nodded. "That's it. He helped me when I had a serious head injury last year," she smiled. "It's so good to have you here, is this your first teaching job?"

"It is. I took off a few years after college when we got married and Nikolas was going through his residency. It's a long story, but we finally got settled and I went back to finish my degree. I am really excited to be here." Emily said.

"We are happy to have you. You are going to like it here. My husband Patrick teaches history and our close friend Elizabeth teaches science." Robin sat down and exhaled.

"I don't think Elizabeth likes me very much. We met earlier but she didn't seem too excited to have me here." Emily smiled. "You seem much more friendly."

Robin laughed. "Elizabeth is great. She is just a little harder to get to know."

Emily nodded. "I'm glad it isn't me. I will try to get to know her more," she stood up. "I just wanted to introduce myself to you. It was really nice to meet you."

Robin shook her hand. "You too. Have a great start to the year."

Emily left and Robin walked over to her desk and sat down again. She was tired and for all her pushing about working, she was a little concerned about everything. She had so many things to consider this year that she never had before. She was now married, pregnant with twins and dealing with MS. Last year she had none of those things and she couldn't be happier this year. She knew how lonely she had been and now, she had married the love of her life and she was going to be a mom.

"What are you thinking about?" Patrick asked as he walked into her room.

"You," she smiled and stood up to meet him.

"Good things?" he asked her as he put his hands on her belly.

"Good naked things," she said.

"I see. Why Mrs. Drake, you know we are in a classroom," he leaned in and kissed her.

"Then we should go home. Now," she reached behind him and pinched his behind.

He grinned. "You don't need to tell me twice," he took her hand in his and they walked out.

Chapter Thirty-Eight:

"Ready to go?" Patrick asked Robin as they got ready for the first day of school. They both wanted to get there early and greet the kids as they came in. Even though they taught high school, there was something to be said for letting the kids know you were there for them.

"Yep, ready," she said as she tried to put her shoes on. "Maybe a little help?"

He smiled at her. "Got it," he helped her squeeze her feet into the shoes. "A larger size might work better."

She glared at him. "Are you calling me fat?"

He didn't know how to answer that. "I was referring to your shoes. Not any part of your beautiful sexy body."

She smiled. "I'm just teasing you. My feet are so swollen and it's only 6 am."

He kissed her softly and smoother her shirt. "Please remember to sit as much as you can."

She kissed him back. "I will be fine. Let's go inspire greatness," she smiled as he rolled his eyes. "What? It could happen, once."

XXXXX

Robin smiled at the usual chatter that came from the students on the first day back after summer. Everyone wanted to know everything about vacations and dating and break ups. She let them talk for a while and then she called the class to order.

"Mrs. Drake, you are glowing." A familiar student named Hannah said.

Robin smiled. "Why thank you Hannah, I think," she said and the class laughed. "How about we get this school year started?"

"How about we just talk all hour about summer?" The class clown Jim said.

"I'll tell you what, we work for a while and then we talk. I'm reasonable, but my classroom, my rules. Sound like a plan?" Robin said.

They smiled and she grinned. "Good. Now Judy, come pass these syllabus out for me please while I sit and take attendance."

"I got you, Mrs. Drake." Judy jumped up and said as she took the papers.

"A simple sure, or yes would suffice. You know how I hate poor grammar." Robin scolded.

"My bad." Judy said and Robin sighed while the class laughed. Judy blushed. "I mean I'm sorry, I would be happy to help."

Robin laughed and the class continued.

XXXXX

Patrick had butterflies in his stomach as he watched his students come into the room. It didn't matter how many years he had been teaching, there was always a bit of nervous energy that first day. He smiled at the young men and women who came into his room and waited by the door, keeping an eye on the hallway with the other teachers. "Hi Mr. Drake." A teen girl said.

"Hi Lila," Patrick grinned. Lila was a longtime student of Robin's and she had helped them immensely last year. She and her mother Carly were close to Robin and he was also fond of them.

"I got you first hour, but I still have Mrs. Drake for Shakespeare. I can't wait. Now that I'm a junior, I can take the classes I want to take." Lila said.

"I am sure it will be great," he said and smiled as she saw a friend and ran off to chat.

He looked at the class after the bell rang, signaling the beginning of the hour. He took his list and walked up and down the aisles, making eye contact with his students. "Good morning everyone," he said.

There was no response. "That usually necessitates a verbal response," he said and there were a lot of blank stares at him. "That means you should say good morning," he laughed.

"Morning Mr. Drake." A smattering of voices said.

"See, that wasn't so painful, was it?" he said. "Welcome to Advanced Placement American History," he said. "I will help you all learn what you should already know."

"Mr. Drake?" A hand went up.

"Yes Abby?"

"Can I go to the bathroom? I don't feel well," she covered her mouth.

He nodded and she barely made it to the hall before throwing up all over. All the kids in the class were grossed out and he sighed. This was going to be a banner day.

XXXXX

Liz came by Robin's room at lunch, the usual routine they had employed for the past few years. This time they were joined by Lucky and Patrick. Robin smiled at Liz and Lucky. "So, how was everyone's morning?"

Patrick looked up from the chair he was sitting in. "Before or after the kid puked in my room."

"Oh no, dude, that sucks." Lucky said and they all laughed.

Robin looked sympathetically at him. "She was probably experiencing first day nerves and then when she looked at you, she couldn't help it."

"I make people puke?" he said with a pout.

She laughed. "No, just the opposite. If she was already nervous and then she got a look of her tall dark and dimpled teacher, she had no choice but to puke. It is a natural reaction," she walked to him and kissed him.

"Don't worry Patrick, I'm sure it won't last past the first week." Lucky said and they all laughed at his expression.

"Very funny," he handed Robin her lunch. "You need to eat."

She sighed. "If I continue to eat, I will be in the bathroom all day. I already had to call Emily in from next door to watch my class so I could pee again."

Liz looked at her. "You called Emily?"

"Well she is next door to me. She didn't have a class that hour, so she came over. She seems really nice, Liz. I don't know why you don't like her." Robin shrugged.

Liz frowned. "I don't know either. I just feel like something is off with her."

"Well she has been nothing but nice to me, so I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt." Robin said.

"I know; I'll try to be pleasant." Liz said.

"Did you guys hear about the new math teacher?" Lucky asked.

Patrick took a bite of his sandwich and nodded. "I heard the students talking about him."

"Who is it? Did we meet him at the staff meeting?" Robin asked.

"I don't think so. He was at the new teacher meeting with the math department." Lucky said. "His name is Leo, but I'm not sure of his last name."

Patrick looked at Robin and smiled at her. He loved this. They were at work, talking about their day and enjoying the company of friends. He didn't know what could be better. He also thought she looked more beautiful each day of the pregnancy. He couldn't wait to meet his children.

"What's going on? Are you okay?" Robin looked at him, noticing him staring.

"I'm fine, just enjoying the view," he said with a smile as Liz and Lucky groaned. Robin blushed, amazed by the effect her husband still had on her. She felt like a teenager herself.


	21. Chapter 39-40

Chapter Thirty-Nine:

Robin sat at her desk while her students worked on reading independently for a little while. She stood up to write some questions on the board, but found she had trouble grasping the marker. She dropped it to the floor and then faced the challenge of bending over to pick it up. Her stomach seemed to be in the way of everything. Lila saw her struggle and came over, picking up the marker and putting it on the table. Robin smiled gratefully. "Thanks Li."

"No problem Mrs. Drake." The teen smiled and walked back to her desk. Robin sat down and grasped the marker, realizing her fingers simply weren't working the way she wanted them too. She hated how this disease just crept in whenever it wanted to and hit her in places that were so frustrating. She took a few deep breaths and looked at the students.

"Okay. I want you guys to work in groups of 4 and come up with 3 questions based off the reading. When you are done, pick one person from your group and come to the board and write the questions down," she smiled at them as they started breaking off into groups. She was learning to change on the fly because she never knew how her body would betray her. She bit back her tears and stood up, walking to the students and participating in their discussions. She would distract herself with literature; it was her passion.

XXXX

Patrick watched as his students engaged in a debate about US policy. He smiled at how isolated they were in their thinking at times, but it was also what allowed them to come up with fresh viewpoints. He saw a particular student sitting to the side, not participating and he walked over to him. "Jesse, what's up? You okay?"

The 16 year old didn't make eye contact, just shrugged. "I'm fine."

"Okay, so how about participating in a group discussion? I'm sure Jim's group would like to have you join them." Patrick motioned to the group sitting closest to him.

"Whatever," Jesse said and crossed him arms in front of him.

"So does that translate to yes Mr. Drake, I would be happy to participate, or shut up Mr. Drake and let me sulk?" Patrick asked him, sitting his tall frame on the top of the desk next to Jesse.

A tiny smile pricked the corner of the boy's mouth and Patrick smiled. "I don't mind if you want to sit one out, Jesse, but let me know what's going on with you. If you need to talk, I'm here." Patrick said and stood up, walking to other groups and listening to their conversations. The rest of the period went by and the bell rang, signaling the end of the class. Patrick gave them their homework and went back to his desk when Jesse came up to him. He looked at the youngster.

"You said I could talk to you." Jesse said.

Patrick motioned for him to pull up a chair. "What's on your mind?"

Jesse looked uncomfortable. "I have a problem."

"Okay, can you give me anything more than that?" Patrick prompted.

"Never mind, it's nothing." Jesse stood up and went to leave.

"You wouldn't be here if it was nothing." Patrick said. "Try me."

Jesse turned and stood there. "My girlfriend is pregnant and she wants to keep the baby."

Okay, not expecting that one, he thought to himself. "What do you want?"

"She said it doesn't matter. She said it's her body and she can do what she wants," he said and Patrick could see there were tears in his eyes.

"I didn't ask you what she said, I asked you what you wanted."

"For this to go away," he said. "Does that make me an ass?"

Patrick smiled. "Kind of."

Jesse scowled at him.

"Look, you can't just make something like this go away. Even if she chose to end the pregnancy, it wouldn't just go away." Patrick said gently.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you love her?"

"I think so. How do you know?" he asked Patrick.

"Can I be blunt?"

"Sure."

"That's a question you should have asked before you had sex."

Jesse sighed. "I know, but I can't have a kid. My dad is going to kill me."

"If your parents were okay with it, would you still not want it?"

He thought about it. "I think I might be okay with the idea. But it doesn't matter because they will kill me."

Patrick smiled at him. "I think that's important. You were adult enough to create a baby, now you need to be adult enough to face your parents. If they love you, they will listen to you. I have met your parents, Jesse, they seem like they have an open mind and wouldn't want you to be so torn up about this. Maybe you should talk to the school counselor and she can have them come in and you can talk together?"

Jesse smiled. "I think that might be a good idea. They won't kill me if there are witnesses."

Patrick laughed. "Right, and then there's that."

"Thanks Mr. Drake." Jesse said.

"Anytime." Patrick handed him a pass to his next class and closed the door after Jesse left. He smiled to himself and wondered when he became such an adult.

XXXX

Robin made her way to Patrick's room after the last class of the day. She was carrying her bag and her purse and she walked into his classroom before plopping everything on a desk. He saw her coming in and jumped to help her.

"I always come get you. Why did you carry everything?" he asked as he pulled up a chair.

She looked up him and raised her eyebrows. "Well hello to you too."

He smiled. "I'm sorry, but when I see my beautiful pregnant wife struggling with the weight of all of those papers, I get all brutish."

She laughed. "You are anything but a brute. You are lucky, however, that you said the weight of the papers and not my huge stomach."

He leaned in and kissed her. "I'm not stupid."

She swatted his shoulder playfully and he grinned a dimpled smile. "Anyway, how was your day?"

He wanted to tell her about Jesse, but he wanted to get her home and take care of her. He knew how exhausted she was at the end of the day. This job was taxing without the added stress of carrying twins. "I have a story to tell you, but I think it can wait until we go home and unwind."

She smiled. "Unwind? What did you have in mind?"

"A beer and maybe watching a hockey game," he teased.

She pouted. "Fine. I will unwind in my own way."

"I'm just teasing you. You know how much I love our after school activities," he said slyly.

"Then let's go home," she said and they left. Patrick filled her in on Jesse's talk while they drove home. She felt badly for Jesse. He was a good kid and he seemed to have parents who were supportive. They walked into the house and she turned to him as he put their bags on the table.

"Who is the girl?" she asked.

"I didn't ask. I didn't think about it," he said sincerely.

"She is probably struggling. We should see if it's a student in our school. Maybe we can reach out to her," she said as she took her shoes off.

He smiled at her. "You are amazing, you know that?"

"Why because being 6 months pregnant made me think about the girl part of the equation?" she laughed.

"I happen to know that the girl part of the equation is the most important part," he said and leaned in to kiss her.

"I like the boy parts much better," she moved to unbutton his shirt as his mouth moved over hers.

He felt his blood travel to all the important parts of his body as he moved to unbutton her blouse. He realized she stopped and he looked at her. "What's wrong?"

"My fingers aren't working the way I want them to today," she smiled. "No biggie, just can't get your shirt open. Should I rip it?"

He sat down and took her hands in his. "Don't do that, not the shirt part, but blow it off like your fears aren't important. How long have they been bothering you?"

"I couldn't grasp the marker this morning, and when I dropped it, Lila had to pick it up for me. They figured it was because I can't bend well with this belly, but I was also not able to pick it up with my fingers," she stood up and walked towards the bedroom.

"Robin, wait," he said.

"No, I don't want this to always be something that interrupts us. The doctor said these sensations and issues would come and go. I can't let it interfere with my life," she said, fighting back her tears.

"We aren't letting it interfere, but I want to know what you're thinking and feeling. I want to help you so you aren't letting anything eat you up inside. I love you, and I am here with you," he said.

She walked to him and hugged him. "I know that and I'm so grateful for you."

He held her and ran his hands through her hair. "You know that the doctor said the more you relax, the better you will feel."

She looked up into his coffee colored eyes. "I know one way to relax."

He grinned and leaned down to cover her mouth with his. He finished unbuttoning his shirt and she pushed it off his shoulders while he moved his tongue down her neck. She moved to the bed and pulled her shirt off while he stepped out of his pants, his erection already obvious. She licked her lips as he leaned down and pulled her pants off, moving up her legs and kissing the inside of her thighs. He could see her panties were already wet and he slipped his fingers under the band and pulled them down and off. She watched him as he looked at her, loving the way he cared for her. He moved up her body and unclasped her bra, moving the material out of the way before leaning down to kiss the swollen flesh.

"Oh God, Patrick," she moaned.

He was so amazed by how her body was moving under his touch and he ran his hands over her breasts, tweaking her nipples and driving her crazy. She looked at him with semi closed eyes. "I need to feel you."

He pulled his underwear off and moved over her, as much as her stomach was growing, she was still petite. He had no trouble maneuvering to her and in a quick motion, he entered her, causing both of them to gasp from the friction. He rested his hands on either side of her head and moved slowly in and out of her, lowing his mouth to cover hers again and pressing his tongue against hers. She moved her hands up and down his body, loving the feel of him against her. Closing her eyes, she squeezed the comforter under her as her first wave of orgasm came over her. He watched her come apart and he continued to drive into her, wanting her to enjoy every last minute of her body contracting with pleasure. She opened her eyes and pulled him to her again, running her hands up and down his back, bending her knees slightly to cause him deeper penetration. He moaned as he drove deeper into her and he buried his head in her neck as he exploded inside of her, burying himself over and over until she had every last bit of him.

"Oh my God, that just gets more amazing every time we do it," she said as she tried to catch her breath.

"I didn't hurt you?" he asked her, running his hand over her stomach.

She stroked his cheek. "No, you could never and have never hurt me. I love the way you love me."

He kissed her again. "I love the way you love me, too. I am the luckiest man in the world."

"I think we are both lucky," she bit her lip. "I am relaxed, but I think maybe one more round would help me totally relax. What do you say?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Who am I to deny you anything?" he captured her mouth with his again and they fell into their passion.

Chapter Forty:

"How is it that we have only been at work for 2 months and I feel like I'm drowning in grading?" Emily asked as the group ate lunch in Robin's room. It was a nice tradition and recently Robin had invited Emily, much to Liz's chagrin.

"I know what you mean. I love teaching English, but it is never ending." Robin said as she took a bite of her sandwich and sucked in her breath. She put her hand on her large stomach.

Patrick walked over to her and rubbed her stomach instinctively, feeling someone's foot poking where it shouldn't be. He knew what made her feel better when one of his babies was being frisky. She relished his involvement and even as pregnant as she was, she loved his hand on her.

"You guys can not be so in tune with each other." Liz said.

Patrick blushed. "Sorry, force of habit."

Robin smiled at her husband. "I love it and I love you."

"Okay, seriously?" Lucky said and they all laughed.

"How much longer are you going to work?" Emily asked Robin as she ate her salad.

"If you ask Patrick, I should have taken all year off, but I feel good and I think I can stay here another few weeks. I have an appointment this afternoon, so we will see what the doctor says." Robin stood up and threw out her garbage.

Patrick watched her, mesmerized by everything about his beautiful wife. He didn't tell her, but he checked into paternity leave so he could be home for a while after the birth. He was waiting to see if it was approved before he told her.

"Who is going to be your sub?" Emily asked.

"I am sure Robin doesn't need to answer a million questions," Liz snapped. She stood up. "I'm sorry, I just had a bad morning. I'm going to go check my messages."

Lucky stood up with her. "I'll walk with you," he turned and shrugged to Patrick, not knowing what was up.

They left and Emily sighed, "I wish I knew why she hates me so much."

Robin sat down and looked at Emily. "I think she just has a lot on her mind. Liz is a really sweet person and I know you and she should be good friends. I'll get to the bottom of this."

Emily smiled. "Thanks, but I can take care of it. She is right when she said you have a lot on your mind. Thanks for having me for lunch," she stood up and they waved goodbye. Patrick walked and closed the door behind her, giving them some privacy.

Robin put her head in her hands and exhaled. Patrick walked over behind her and massaged her neck. She moaned and leaned into him. "God, that feels amazing," she closed her eyes as he moved to her shoulders.

"I have to get back to my room, but we can pick this up later," he leaned down and kissed her.

She pulled him closer for another kiss and touched his lips. "Are you going to be able to make my appointment later?"

He sighed. "I tried to get out of this meeting, but I don't think I can. I will do my best to get there before the ultra sound," he hated missing an appointment, but this meeting was important.

She looked at him. "It's okay, this is routine. I promise to fill you in on everything Max says."

He smiled. "I know, but I don't want to be one of those fathers that misses all of the school plays and baseball games and has to be filled in later."

She raised her eyebrows at him. "I think missing an appointment when the babies are still in the womb doesn't quite qualify," she stood up and hugged him, her stomach definitely making it harder, but she touched his face. "You are the best father and the most amazing husband. Never doubt that."

He leaned in and kissed her again, lingering for a moment. "Okay, seriously, I have to go or there will be a lot of students sitting in my room with no teacher."

She smiled and nodded as he left. She wondered for the millionth time how she got so lucky.

XXXX

Patrick looked at his watch and sighed. This meeting was dragging and it was driving him crazy. He knew Robin was probably done with her appointment and headed home, so he would just have to see her there. He ran his hand through his hair and nodded when someone asked a question. He smiled at Lucky who looked as bored as he was. They would just have to wait it out.

XXXX

Liz was finishing things up after school and made her way to the chemistry equipment in her room to shut everything off. She had a lot on her mind and she decided that she needed to try and be nicer to Emily. It was weird. She didn't usually react so negatively to people, but something just bothered her about the new teacher. Sitting back at her desk, she went on her computer to search for some answers. She didn't even know what to search for, but she began to dig.

Lucky walked to see Liz after he left the meeting with Patrick. He smiled when he thought to himself that one had to work hard to bore history buffs, but that was the worst meeting. He stopped in the office to pick up their mail and he headed to her room.

XXXX

Patrick walked to his room to gather his things to leave and he checked his messages. He smiled when he heard Robin's voice.

"So I'm guessing your meeting is dragging on and you are doing your best not to fall asleep. I am on my way back to the car after my appointment. It appears Jelly and Bean are progressing nicely. Dr. Max estimates they are both over 4 pounds. I don't know how much bigger I can get, but he wants them to gain a little more, which means I need to eat more. I am entering the final stage, so he said not to worry if I start feeling some cramping or contractions, as long as they don't last and my water doesn't break, we should be able to keep these little ones in their oven to cook at least another month. I love you and I can't wait to show you the newest pictures. See you soon."

Patrick smiled as he heard the excitement in her voice. She was remarkable and he was more amazed by her strength and her courage every day. He called her, but it went to voicemail. He figured she was probably taking a nap. He would see her soon.

XXXX

Lucky walked into Liz's room and saw she was upset. He made his way to the table and put her mail down. "What's wrong?"

She looked up, startled for a minute. "Oh, hi, I didn't hear you come in."

"Talk to me, Elizabeth, what's going on?" Lucky asked her.

"Don't be mad, but I did some checking on Emily," she said.

"I'm not mad, but I don't know what you expected to find," he looked at her. "What did you find?"

"She said she was married to Nikolas Cassadine, the neurosurgeon who helped Patrick and Robin. When I looked his profile up, it said he was single," she began.

"Okay, but you know they don't always update those sites regularly. It could just be out of date," he said.

"I know, I thought that too, so I dug a little deeper. There is a connection to someone that surprised me," she looked at him. "I found an engagement notice from 5 years ago with Emily and a man named Henry Green."

Lucky was trying to follow, but didn't see the connection. "Who is Henry Green?"

Liz had tears in her eyes as she looked at him. "He is Brad's brother. Brad is my ex husband and the one responsible for going after Patrick and Robin."

Lucky was surprised, to say the least. "Wow, okay, so do we know if they ever got married?"

"I can't find anything about a marriage," she looked at him. "What if Emily is here to hurt someone?"

"I don't know, Elizabeth. It seems like a stretch, but knowing what you have told me about Brad and what I saw with Patrick and Robin, I don't want to take anything for granted. We need to make sure you are safe." Lucky said with concern.

She shook her head. "Brad won't hurt me. Besides, he is in jail," she sighed and turned to look at her mail. She picked up an envelope that had no writing on it and pulled out a piece of paper. She opened it and read the words before her hand started shaking and she turned white.

"Liz, what is it? What's wrong?" Lucky asked her.

"We have to find Robin, now," she stood up and almost knocked everything over.

"Why?" Lucky grabbed his things and followed her out into the hall and smacked right into Patrick.

"Oh, sorry, man." Lucky said.

"No problem, I usually can't wait to get out of here myself." Patrick said and picked up his things that fell during the collision.

Liz grabbed Patrick's arm. "Where is Robin?"

He was alarmed at her demeanor. "At home, why?"

"Did you talk to her?" Liz said, tears in her eyes.

"She left me a message a while ago, but she is probably sleeping, why? What's going on?" he dialed her again while he talked to Liz. It went to voicemail.

"I think I know why Emily is here," she said. "We need to get to Robin, now."

Patrick and Lucky looked at her and they all raced out to their cars.


	22. Chapter 41-42

Chapter Forty-One:

"She isn't here. Why isn't she here?" Patrick yelled as he ran through the house. He came back to the family room where Liz and Lucky were sitting. "Someone needs to tell me what the hell is going on."

"I got this letter in my mailbox at school today," she handed it to Patrick.

"_My dearest Liz,_

I know things got so messed up between us and because of the actions of others; you lost your faith in me. We were going to have it all, marriage and a baby. We were almost there, until Robin and Patrick poisoned you against me. My first plan backfired, but that doesn't matter. I have a better plan now and soon, we will have everything we wanted. Marriage and a baby, the baby they took from us. I'll see you soon.

_Yours forever,_

_Brad"_

Patrick looked at her. "What the hell does this mean?" he suddenly had a horrible feeling that he knew what it meant. "Is he going to try and kidnap our babies?"

Liz looked at him. "I don't know. I think he is capable of anything and he has targeted you and Robin as the people he blames and I don't know why. I'm so sorry, Patrick."

"We need to find Robin. Maybe she went shopping after her appointment?" Lucky said.

Patrick felt sick. "She wouldn't go anywhere. She is 7 and a half months pregnant with twins. She gets tired easily and is very careful about her health," he looked at them. "What if he got her? We have to call the police," he sat down. "Oh God, this can't be happening."

Lucky sat next to him. "As far as we know, Brad is still in jail."

"But Emily isn't." Liz said.

Patrick looked at her. "What? What does Emily have to do with this?"

"I did some research and found out that Emily was once engaged to Brad's brother. She isn't who she appears to be, Patrick." Liz said.

"I'm calling the police." Lucky said.

Liz looked at them. "I think I need to pay Brad a visit."

Patrick looked at them. "What am I going to do?"

XXXXX

"Help me, please." Robin banged her hands on the door of the barn for the third time. She was trying not to panic, but she didn't know what was going on. She had been on her way to her car after her doctor's appointment and she remembered seeing a woman who had fallen on the ground near her car. She went to help her and the next thing she remembered was waking up in this room. She was cold and although she wasn't tied up at all, she had nothing with her, no purse or phone, nothing. She took a few deep breaths and tried to calm down. She had to get out of here, but she didn't know how.

XXXX

Patrick was talking to Sonny and Jax and going over what he knew. Alcazar was also checking in as the FBI always worked on kidnapping cases, and they assumed that's what they were dealing with. Liz and Lucky were also giving statements and Patrick gave everyone a current picture of his wife. Sonny got a call and Patrick felt his heart sink when he watched his face.

"What is it?" he asked when Sonny hung up.

"They found her car still at the doctors office. Her purse and phone were inside, but there was no sign of her anywhere." Sonny said.

"Oh God, oh my God." Patrick collapsed onto the couch. Matt ran in with Maxie and they rushed to his side.

"What's happening? What is going on?" Maxie asked frantically.

"Robin is missing. They just found her car and her purse is there but she isn't," he put his head in his hands and Matt put his arm around him.

"What? What are you doing to find her? My cousin is extremely pregnant and needs to be found right now." Maxie yelled at Sonny and Jax.

"We are doing everything we can. We have a team going over the camera footage from the hospital to see if they can locate when Robin walked out, or if she reentered the clinic. We are also going through the whole clinic." Jax said.

Liz walked over and looked white as a ghost. "What is it?" Lucky asked her.

"Brad was being transferred to a maximum security facility and the van he was traveling in was found on the side of the road. The driver and security guard were dead and Brad was gone," she said softly.

Matt looked at her and then at Patrick. "So what? What does that mean? The guy who ran you over escaped? Why would he come back here?"

"There is more. Brad wasn't the only prisoner being moved." Liz said.

Patrick looked at her. "Tell me."

"Jason Morgan. He is also missing," she said.

Patrick ran to the bathroom and slammed the door. He couldn't handle this. He couldn't breathe and he couldn't move. He looked at his hands and sobbed for his wife.

Lucky looked at Matt and Maxie and sat down. "It appears that Brad blames Patrick and Robin for Liz leaving him and ultimately miscarrying their baby. He wrote her a letter and implied that they would be a family again soon, complete with a baby. Now that he has escaped and Robin is missing, there is a good chance the two are related."

Maxie looked at them with horror in her eyes. "Do you think he wants their babies?"

Liz walked over. "I think he does. I can't believe this. Poor Robin, this is all my fault," she cried and Lucky held her.

"No it isn't. That pig abused you for years and you broke free from him. He is a psycho killer and he won't get away with this, I promise." Lucky said.

Patrick walked out and looked at them. "What do we do next?"

Alcazar looked at him. "We need to act quickly. I have seen cases like this before and the next few hours are critical to ensuring Robin is found safe."

"But she isn't due for another 6 weeks. Do you think he will just hold her until she delivers? I mean I don't want him to hold her for that long, but he won't hurt her and risk the babies, will he?" Patrick asked.

Alcazar sighed and Maxie gasped.

"What? Talk to me." Patrick asked panicked.

"They think Brad will take the babies," she whispered.

"I know, but what aren't you telling me. How can he take them if she isn't in labor?" he asked and then suddenly it occurred to him. "Oh God. He could cut them out of her. That's what you won't say, right?"

They all nodded. "It's a possibility. That is why time is of the essence." Jax said.

Patrick just looked at them, shock resonating over his being.

XXXX

It had been an hour at least, but it was hard to tell. Robin wiped the hair off her face and sat on the ground, rubbing her belly. "It's okay little ones, mommy will fix this. She is going to get out of this and we are going to be fine," she felt her tears fall as she thought of Patrick and how worried he must be. She hated that most of all. "Your daddy is so excited to meet you both. He is the best daddy already and you aren't even here yet. He is the best daddy because he takes care of me. He knows what I need before I do. We are going to give you the best example of what a partnership is," she wiped her eyes and looked up into the nothing. "I love you Patrick. Please find me," she closed her eyes, exhaustion taking over. She woke up a while later shivering from the cool dampness of the barn. She had a splitting headache and her hands were tingling. She knew that stress brought on her symptoms and she simply couldn't let that happen. She stood up on shaky legs and stiffened as she heard someone drive up. The car door slammed and suddenly the door was opened and light flooded into the room.

"You have got to be kidding me." Robin said.

"Long time no see." Jason said as he stood there, staring at her. "Apparently a lot has happened since we last talked."

"What are you doing out of jail?" Robin asked.

"Had to help my friend," he said and turned as Brad walked in.

"Brad?" Robin whispered.

"In the flesh. Now it's time for me to get my family back and you are the only one who can." Brad said.

"Elizabeth will never take you back, no matter what I say," she spoke with venom and knew she was letting herself get way too worked up, but this man had almost killed Patrick. He was the scum of the earth.

"I don't need you to say anything. I just need you to give me something," he said.

"What are you talking about? What could I possibly have that you want?" she looked for any type of weapon in her grasp.

"I want your baby," he said simply.

Chapter Forty-Two:

Robin tried to process what Brad said. "You want what?"

"Your baby. You took mine and now I will take yours." Brad said.

"You're crazy, you know that? If you think for one second that I will let you anywhere near my baby," she said, a million thoughts running through her mind. They didn't know she was having twins, so that was good. She felt the babies moving a lot and knew her stress level needed to go down.

"You don't look good. You should relax." Brad said.

"Shut up. You are such an idiot. When Liz hears about this, she is going to shoot you herself." Robin said.

Brad walked up to her and slapped her across the face, stunning her. "You shut up about her. Don't even speak her name."

Jason grabbed Brad and pulled him back. "Stop it. You need to keep your cool."

Robin fought back tears, as she tasted blood in her mouth. Jason looked at her. "Are you okay?"

"Like you care," she said. "Your brother tried to kill me and you let it happen. You are a disgrace."

"You know, you should really think about showing a little respect." Brad said.

"I will when you will," she said. She knew she needed to lay off, but she was trying to formulate some sort of plan. Stalling them was her best bet. "So what are you going to do? Wait for me to give birth and just take my baby?"

Brad looked at her. "We don't have that kind of time."

Robin was confused. "What does that mean?"

Jason put down his bag and pulled out a large knife. "It means we aren't going to wait for you to give birth."

Robin looked at the two crazy men and let her tears fall. What was she supposed to do? She had to protect her children no matter what. "It's too soon. The baby won't survive outside the womb."

Brad looked at her. "What do you mean?" he looked at Jason. "You said it would be developed enough. What kind of a doctor are you?"

Robin took this as an opening. "He isn't a doctor. He is a psychologist and I doubt that was even true. He knows nothing about newborns. It is too soon for the baby to survive."

Brad and Jason began to argue and Robin felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. She sucked in her breath and tried to mask it. She had no choice but to sit down for a minute. She concentrated on her breathing.

"What's wrong?" Brad asked her.

"I am very pregnant sitting in a damp cold room with two psycho idiots. I would say that's what's wrong," she said with venom.

Brad looked at Jason and the two of them walked out to talk. Robin cried out in pain after they left and she moved as best she could to find a way out. They had left the door open a little so the light came in. She saw some wood pieces that were rotted in the corner of the barn and she moved to try and grab one. It was all she could do right now. No one was going to lay a hand on her babies. She would give her life to ensure that.

XXXX

Patrick stood in the mirrored room at the police station. He was watching while Sonny interrogated Emily, but he couldn't hear anything. She didn't appear to know anything about what happened and he was losing whatever calm he still had left. He ran through the possible scenarios in his mind of what happened or what was happening to his wife at that moment. He prayed she wasn't in any pain. He looked up as Sonny walked into his room.

"She used to be engaged to the guy but he beat her. She said she was able to leave him when Nikolas helped her and they have been together since. They had to be quiet about their marriage because she was afraid of Henry. Jax went to talk to Nikolas to corroborate the story and another officer is looking for Henry. I'm afraid that none of this helps us right now." Sonny sighed.

"So what does that mean? We have to do something, Sonny. Robin needs our help right now," he cried.

"I know. You know how fond I am of you and of Robin. I have everyone on this and we will find her." Sonny said.

Patrick felt like he was going to be sick again and sat down when Alcazar burst into the room. "They found something," he said.

Patrick looked up at him and could tell immediately it wasn't good.

XXXXXX

Please let me know if you're reading and if I should continue.


	23. Chapter 43-44

Chapter Forty-Three:

Robin stood behind the door with the 2 by 4 in her hands. She didn't have a plan other than to get out of this barn. She could hear them talking outside and she waited for her chance. She willed her body to cooperate as she stood there. She heard Brad say something and then someone got into the car and drove off. She waited as she heard footsteps and then someone walked in. She hid behind the door as he walked in. "Robin, where are you? We have to get ready." Jason said.

He turned to look at her and she swung the piece of wood with all her might, smacking him in the chest. He fell back and hit his head on the ground, moaning as he was stunned. She didn't waste any time. She made her way out into the cool fall air and tried to figure out where she was. There was nothing familiar. She was in the middle of some farm and there were rows of vegetables as far as she could see. She made her way through the crops and finally let her tears fall. She had to get far enough away from them. She held her stomach as she walked as fast as she could but her pains were becoming more intense. She was in trouble and she knew it.

XXXXX

Patrick waited for Sonny to finish talking to Alcazar. Matt was with him and he was trying to keep his brother calm. Patrick was about to leave and look for his wife himself. They both looked up as Sonny walked in. "We were able to locate Henry. He swears he hasn't heard from Brad since he was put in jail."

"What aren't you telling me?" Patrick said.

"We searched his computer history and there were numerous sites on how a cesarean in performed." Lorenzo said.

Patrick stood up. "I've had enough of this. I need to go look for my wife."

"We don't know where to look. We have no leads. What are you going to do?" Matt asked him.

"You need to stay put. We can't have you out there running into a trap." Sonny said.

Patrick looked at them and made a decision. "Fine. What do you want me to do?"

"Go home and wait for us to do what we can. Let us handle this." Alcazar said.

Patrick nodded. "Okay," he looked at Matt. "Take Maxie home and meet me at my house later."

"What about Liz and Lucky?" Matt asked.

"I'll tell them to go home." Patrick said.

Matt sighed. He didn't trust his brother not to go off on his own, but he figured he would meet him quickly. He walked out and Patrick went to see Liz and Lucky. They stood up as he approached.

"What's going on? We have been going crazy." Liz said.

"The don't know anything. Liz, I need you to think for a minute about Brad. Was there anywhere he used to go to get away? Is there an old family place or vacation spot?" Patrick pleaded.

Liz thought about it. "We never went on vacations. He never told me much about his family, other than his brother. He hated his parents and how strict they were. He had to work on their grandparents farm when he was little, but when they died, the farm went under," she looked at him. "I'm sorry Patrick, I don't know where she could be?"

"Where was this farm?"

"Um, I'm not sure. I think it was near Duck Lake Park? But Patrick, it's been abandoned for years." Liz said.

"A perfect place to take her." Patrick said.

Lucky ran to tell Sonny what Liz remembered and Patrick followed them to his car.

XXXXX

Robin opened her eyes to the cool rain falling and realized she had passed out on the ground in the middle of rows of vegetables. She was freezing and it was getting dark. She held her stomach and took a few deep breaths. She didn't like the clouds that were coming in and she knew the rain was going to come harder. She stood up slowly and realized her legs were shaky. "Okay Robin. This is nothing. You can do this. You can get somewhere safe and you will be okay," she tried to psych herself up. She took a few steps and felt her contractions start up again. She sank back to the ground and cried in pain.

XXXX

Patrick and Sonny pulled up to the barn at the same time. They got out and ran in, seeing Jason unconscious on the ground. They looked everywhere and realized Robin wasn't there, and neither was Brad. Jason began to come around and Sonny cuffed him before he could get away.

Patrick looked at him. "Where is my wife?"

Jason blinked a few times. "That bitch knocked me over."

"Where is she? What did you do to her?" Patrick demanded.

Jason looked around him. "You're too late. Brad won't let her go."

"I'll kill you, you son of a bitch." Patrick punched him and Sonny pulled him off.

"Patrick, stop. It is likely she got away after hitting him. We need to search the premises. There is a storm coming and it's getting dark." Sonny said.

Patrick nodded. He ran outside to look, ignoring Sonny's cry for him to wait.

XXXX

Sonny took Jason to the precinct as the storm began to rage. Lucky took Liz home and Patrick said he would meet them back at the precinct to question Jason. The officers had searched around and found no sign of anyone. It was getting dark and everyone was gone. Everyone but Patrick. He walked through the rows of weeds and dead vegetables and realized this was futile. He was getting all turned around and he didn't want to get lost. He had to find her, but he didn't know if Brad had taken her somewhere else. Making his way through the row, wiping the rain off his face, he searched for his wife.

XXXX

Okay, now it was time to panic. Robin was in enormous pain and she couldn't see very well through the driving rain and wind. She crawled through the brush, stopping every few feet to breathe through the contractions. She wasn't sure if her water broke or if the rain was to blame but she knew the amount of pain she had wasn't false labor. She cried as she worried about the timing. It was too soon. She was also out in the cold with nothing. She had to find shelter. She heard something and survival took over as she moved to hide in the brush. She held her breath as she saw a pair of legs walking. She felt a contraction and couldn't help it; she cried out.

"Robin?"

She wasn't sure she heard right.

"Robin? Are you there?" Patrick called.

"Patrick?" she crawled out of the bushes and saw him walking away. Was she hallucinating? "Patrick?" she screamed and fell on her side, holding her stomach.

He turned and couldn't believe it. He ran back to her and fell to the ground next to her. "Robin? Oh my God, are you okay?" he pulled her into his arms.

She sobbed in relief and in fear. "Thank God you found me," she looked at him, the rain pounding on them. She screamed in pain as another contraction took over.

He realized quickly she was in trouble. "Talk to me. What's happening?"

"The babies are coming, Patrick. I need to push," she said.

He froze in panic. "Right now?"

She glared at him and he nodded. "Got it. We need to get inside somewhere."

"I can't move," she panted.

He stood up and she grabbed his hand. "Don't leave me, please."

He took her face in his hands. "Not a chance. I need to figure out which way it is back to the barn. We need to get inside."

"Brad might come back. We can't go there," She cried.

He looked and saw another shack not too far away from them. "I see something. We need to get there," he helped her up and they took a few steps before she collapsed.

"Oh God, Patrick, I can't walk. It hurts so much," she moaned as she sat on the ground.

"Come on, I'll carry you," he said.

"I'm too heavy. I'll break you," she said softly.

He smiled. "I've got you," he gathered her in his arms and carried her to the shack.

Chapter Forty-Four:

Patrick put Robin down outside the shack and walked over to open the door, checking on the safety of the structure. He saw it wasn't a shack so much as old living quarters, like a one room house. There was a fireplace and a bunch of old blankets. He ran outside and gathered her in his arms again, carrying her in. He put her down by the fireplace and he ran out to grab some wood. He came in and saw she wasn't moving. He ran to her. "Robin, baby, can you look at me? Please?" he stroked her face, alarmed at how cold her skin was to the touch. She had a bruise on her cheek and her lip was split.

"Okay, okay, we need help," he said. He took out his cell phone and dialed 911. He was shocked when it was busy. "How the hell is it busy?" he dialed Maxie and his heart soared when she picked up.

"Maxie, I need help now. Robin is in labor and she is cold and in and out of consciousness. I don't know what to do," he rambled.

"Where are you?" she asked and motioned for Matt to listen.

"I don't know. We went to the barn and I found her outside in the rain. I got her into this shack area on the farm but there is nothing to help me. I have a fireplace and nothing else. Before she passed out she was in so much pain and she wanted to push. I don't know what to do. I can't lose them. You have to help me," he cried.

Just then Robin moaned and Patrick leaned to her face. "Hey, baby, can you open your eyes?"

"Owwww," She cried and Patrick thought he might keel over. "Oh God, I can't do this," she panted.

Maxie wiped her eyes. "Patrick, listen to me," she didn't hear anything. "Patrick are you there?"

"Yes, yes, I'm here," he said as he looked at his wife.

"Is there a source of heat anywhere?"

"A fireplace. I should start a fire," he said as he tossed the wood into the pit and started the fire.

"Yes, but keep a distance from the flame. Are there any blankets or towels or anything soft?" Maxie asked.

"No, everything is filthy and dusty and old. I have nothing," he cried. Robin let out another scream.

"Okay, calm down. Matt and I are on the way. He called the paramedics and they should be there before us. The roads are bad, so it might take a while." Maxie said as Matt started the car.

"I started a fire. What next?" Patrick asked. He didn't follow a lot, but he heard help was coming, so he was grateful for that.

"You need to check and see of the baby is crowning. You need to get Robin undressed and see what's going on, if the baby is coming." Maxie said.

"What does that mean? What is crowning?" Patrick cried and realized the phone cut out. "Fuck," he threw the phone down and moved to Robin's face.

"Patrick, I'm so glad you're here," she sobbed. "Ohh, God it hurts so much."

He looked at her, in so much pain and he knew he needed to do something. "Maxie said to check if I could see the baby yet."

She looked at him with teeth chattering and her hands shaking. She watched as he pulled off her shoes and then removed her pants and underwear. He looked for something to cover her with, to keep her a little warm, but there was nothing. He took off his coat and realized his shirt was relatively dry. He pulled it off and covered her a little with it. He looked at her. "I don't see anything yet."

She was crying and he held her hand. "I'm sorry, Patrick. I didn't want it to be like this."

"Shh, this is going to be fine. Look at it this way, we are going to meet our babies," he said and kissed her forehead.

"I was so scared. They wanted to cut the baby out of me. I shouldn't have gone in the rain but I had to get away. I would die before I let them touch our babies," she screamed again in pain.

He had never felt more helpless in his life. He held her face in his hands. "Can you look at me?"

She opened her brown eyes and stared at him. "It's too soon," she said in a heartbroken tone.

"No it isn't. You said in your message that Max was happy with their size. They will be okay," he said. "I'm more worried about you right now. I need you to be okay," he felt his chin quivering and he was trying to hold it together.

"I'm scared. I'm really scared," she said weakly.

"I know baby, me too, but we can do this," he said and she cried out again.

"I have to push," she said.

"Okay," he held her hand and watched as she pushed with all her might. She fell back and he checked, but there was still nothing. He looked at her and they heard a car.

"Oh God, what if it's Brad?" she began to panic.


	24. Chapter 45

Chapter Forty-Five:

The sound came closer and Patrick turned and covered Robin with his body as best he could and prepared for whoever was there. He looked at her and tried to calm her down, the terror in her face evident. "It's going to be okay, I promise," he turned and looked and saw it was Matt and Maxie. He almost cried with relief. "It's okay, baby, it's help," he covered her with his shirt and jacket and motioned for them to come in.

Maxie ran to Robin and Matt carried in blankets and her medical bag. Maxie looked at Patrick. "She needs to get the rest of these wet clothes off right now. Her temperature is low and her pulse is weak," she looked at Matt. "Set up the blankets by the fire and try to call to see where the paramedics are," she put on her gloves and checked Robin. "Okay, I can feel a head, but we need to help this little one along," she looked at Patrick who had pulled off the rest of her clothes and wrapped her upper body in a blanket. He put his shirt back on.

She was fading in and out and Patrick was losing it. "Patrick, you need to help her push. She needs your strength right now." Maxie demanded.

He nodded. "Robin, baby, we need you to push. I need you to help our babies, please," he moved so she was almost in his lap. He supported her body like a pillow and she whimpered in pain.

"There is another one coming," she said weakly.

"When I tell you, you need to push with everything you have," Maxie said.

"I can't. I'm so tired," she said through her tears.

"Yes you can. You are not a quitter and our children need you. You can do this." Patrick said and took both of her hands in his and when Maxie told them she pushed with all her might. She fell back against Patrick and was fading again.

"Oh God, Robin, wake up, please," he said to her.

Maxie looked at Matt. "Where is the ambulance? We need to get to a hospital right now."

"What's wrong?" Patrick asked her.

"I would just feel better if we could get Robin some help," she said, trying to hide her tears.

Patrick held his wife and prayed for the ambulance. Maxie looked at him. "We need to push again."

Patrick kept his cheek next to Robin's face. She was breathing fast and he felt like he was losing her. "You can do this. You are the strongest woman I know. We need to bring our children into the world together," he said.

She nodded and Maxie smiled at her. "Here is a big one, you need to push," she said and as Robin pushed, Maxie tried, but there wasn't a lot of movement.

"Okay, we need to try again." Maxie said.

"I can't do it. I feel like I'm dying. I can't do it." Robin screamed as another contraction came.

"Push now," Maxie yelled and Robin leaned against Patrick and gave it her all.

"Well?" Patrick asked through his tears.

"We need to keep pushing." Maxie said.

"She is killing herself. This is too much." Matt said from the corner of the room. He kept his distance, respecting her privacy.

Maxie looked at Robin and took her vitals as she spoke to Matt. "Take a step outside if it's too much for you, but Robin needs our support right now. She is not going to die."

Matt felt terrible. He was completely helpless. He decided to call the paramedics again.

Patrick laid Robin down and moved to her side. She wasn't responding to him and he looked at Maxie. "What do we do?" he felt like his world was crashing around him.

"Talk to her. Get her to listen to you, somehow." Maxie said. "We don't have any other options. If she doesn't come around, I am going to have to perform a cesarean and I don't want to do that."

He nodded and took Robin's hand in his own. "Robin, can you hear me?" he asked her. She moved her face a little in response. "Good. Now you need to listen to me. I know you're tired and I know you're hurting. I also know you were born to be a mother and you can do anything you put your mind to. Our babies are struggling right now and the only one who can help them is you. I know it isn't fair and it isn't right, but it doesn't matter. If I could take this from you, I would, but it has to be you. You need to push this baby out and give it a chance to live," he said. "I love you so much and I'm right here with you."

She opened her eyes and locked her gaze with him. "I'm so scared."

He nodded and stroked her face. "I know, but you have more courage than anyone I have ever met. You loved me, despite all of the obstacles thrown our way and our love made these babies. Robin, our love is our courage and we have more love than we could possibly ask for. Love is courage."

She looked at him with tears flowing and nodded. "I love you too. Help me sit up," she said and he moved behind her and held her. Maxie looked at her cousin and nodded.

"Take a deep breath and push," She said and Robin pushed with all her might. Maxie smiled. "There you go, one more little one," she said and Robin pushed again and Maxie delivered the tiny baby.

Patrick was amazed and overwhelmed. He looked at Robin and saw she was smiling. They all suddenly heard a tiny cry and everyone began to cheer. Maxie held up the baby. "Here is your daughter," she said.

"A girl? It's a girl?" Patrick asked through his tears.

"Is she okay?" Robin asked weakly.

"She looks perfect." Maxie wrapped the preemie in a blanket and handed her to Matt. "Keep her warm while we finish here."

Matt held the tiny infant and looked at her, amazed by the human being in his arms.

Robin began to cry. "It's coming again."

Patrick didn't know how she was going to make it through this. He held her and looked at Maxie.

"Okay, baby number two needs the same attention from mom, okay? You need to push now." Maxie said and Patrick helped her move and she pushed. He could feel her whole body contracting with the effort and each time she pushed he felt her getting weaker.

Maxie looked at him. "Nothing yet, but we will get there."

"The paramedics are here." Matt said. He walked to Patrick and handed his daughter to him. "I'll go get them."

Patrick held his tiny daughter and looked at Robin who was pale and the beads of sweat were glistening on her forehead. "I have to push," She whispered.

Maxie looked up as the paramedics came in. She relayed the information and they went to put an IV in Robin's arm. Maxie covered her up. "We need to get to the hospital right away."

"What about the other baby?" Patrick asked.

"Robin is in trouble, Patrick. We need to get her to the hospital now." Maxie said.

He looked at the tiny baby in his arms and at his wife. He nodded and watched as they covered her and placed her on a gurney before taking her to the ambulance. Maxie took the infant from Patrick and motioned for him to go with Robin. She handed him the baby once he was sitting in the vehicle. The ambulance sped off and Maxie felt Matt put his arms around her. She turned in his arms and sobbed against him.

XXXXX

Patrick saw Max at the hospital waiting when they arrived and he watched as they rushed Robin into a room and the nurses helped him with the baby. They took her and put her id badge on and began an assessment while the doctors examined Robin. He stood there, not knowing what to do. He took Robin's hand and she opened her eyes. He smiled at her and smoothed her hair. "Oohhh," she cried and Max looked at her.

"Robin, can you push for me?" he began to expertly maneuver the baby by pushing on her stomach.

She looked at Patrick who held her. "I'm here. We will do it together," he said softly.

He helped her sit up more and she looked at Max. "Okay, now," he said and she pushed, screaming at the pain. Max was working feverishly as he delivered the second baby. They all waited until there was another teeny cry. Patrick let the breath he was holding go and he looked at Robin whose eyes were closed.

Max held up the baby. "It's a girl," he smiled and then handed the infant to the nurses who immediately began assessing both babies. Patrick looked at Robin. "We have two girls," he said.

Max looked up as the alarms began ringing. Patrick was pulled away and more people rushed in to Robin. "What is happening?" What's wrong?" he cried.

"Please follow me, sir." A nurse led him out into the hall. He looked as the door was closed and he was alone, his heart and soul all inside that room.

Patrick stood there for what seemed like an eternity when Max came out. "Robin is bleeding excessively. We need to get her to the O.R. and see what's going on and to try and stop it. Because of her immune system being stressed, we need to get things under control. I am waiting on the neurologist to check her bloodwork and see if we need to start her on anything for an acute MS exacerbation. The babies are going to be taken to the NICU and you will be able to see them later. We will have the neonatologist look at them and assess their needs. I'll be back with news as quickly as I can."

Patrick nodded and watched them rush Robin out. He didn't even have a chance to talk to her. He didn't understand what Max said. Was she going to die? He watched as the nurses rushed his daughters out to the NICU. He sank down to the floor and sobbed.


	25. Chapter 46

Chapter Forty-Six:

Matt and Maxie rushed to Patrick who was staring into the empty exam room. "What happened?" Maxie asked him.

"I don't know." Patrick said softly.

"What do you mean you don't know," she yelled and Matt put his hand on her arm. "Sorry, can you tell me where Robin is?"

"Surgery, I think," he said.

Maxie looked at Matt. "He is in shock. Sit with him while I find out what's going on."

Matt watched her leave and he looked at his brother. "Patrick, let's sit down here," he led them to a set of chairs and they sat down. "What can I do for you? I called mom and dad, they are on their way."

Patrick looked at him. "I think I'm a dad now."

Matt smiled. "You sure are. I can attest to that. Did she deliver the other baby or are they doing that now?"

Patrick smiled and looked at his hands. "Two girls."

Matt hugged him. "That's awesome, man. Congratulations."

"They need their mother. I need their mother," he said and put his head in his hands.

Matt felt terrible for his brother. He put his arm around him as they sat there. Maxie came back to them and Matt looked at her. "Do we know anything?"

Patrick wiped his eyes and looked at her. "They are finishing up. Dr. G will be out in a minute." Maxie said.

Patrick looked at his brother. "The babies are in danger. We need to make sure they are safe. Brad is still out there and he wants the babies," he looked panicked. "How can I protect them? What am I going to do?"

"Let me take care of that." Maxie said. "I will go make sure they are guarded," she turned and walked off.

Matt looked at Patrick. "See, they will be fine."

"They are so small, too small," he whispered.

"So is Robin, and look how much of a fighter she is. They will make it." Matt said.

Patrick nodded. "Thanks, for everything."

Matt nodded back at him and they saw Max walk up. Patrick stood up, waiting for the worst. "Robin is in recovery. We were able to stop the bleeding, but there were complications."

"What kind of complications?" Patrick asked.

"Robin suffered from postpartum hemorrhage and although we were able to stop the bleeding, she lost a considerable amount of blood volume. We are transfusing her now, but it will be a difficult road to recovery for her. Because of her Multiple Sclerosis, her immune system is already compromised and coming back from this will be a challenge. She is completing an MRI as we speak and then the neurologist will consult with you both." Dr. Max sighed. "She is remarkable. Delivering the babies the way she did, under such enormous stress to her body, well it is amazing all three of them survived. The nurse will be here to take you to see her in a minute. She should wake up soon, but it is important to keep her as calm as possible."

"Thank you," Matt said as the doctor walked away. The nurse came to take Patrick. She looked at Matt.

"I'm sorry, just one for now," she said.

Matt nodded. "I'll be right here if you need anything."

Patrick hugged his brother and followed the nurse. They walked to the room and the nurse handed Patrick a pair of scrubs. "They are almost done getting her all set up. You should change out of your wet clothes. When you're done, they should be done and you can go in."

Patrick took the clothes and nodded before walking into the bathroom across from the room. He looked at himself in the mirror and couldn't believe the events they had gone through. He peeled off his wet clothes and pulled on the scrubs. He put his clothes in the garbage, not wanting to see them again. He walked out and into her room. She looked like she was sleeping, but he knew how wrong that was. Her stomach was still swollen, but dramatically smaller. He walked up to the bed and sat down, taking her hand in his. He saw her face where she had been struck and the swelling by her lip. He kissed her hand and ran his fingers over her arm.

"Robin? Can you wake up and look at me?" he asked her. "I am going to be very selfish for a minute and tell you that I need you to wake up and be okay. It isn't manly or adult, but I am begging you. I can't do this. I can't live this life without you," he pressed her hand to his cheek. "People always joke about how connected we are and it's true. You are my whole world," he put her hand down and smoothed her still damp hair away from her face. "I am so sorry this happened to you. I can't imagine the fear you must have felt amidst the pain you were experiencing. You are the strongest person I know and you can fight through this. You just need to open your eyes and we will face this together," he leaned in and kissed her gently. He sat back down and saw her eyes open.

"Patrick?" she asked in a whisper.

He smiled at her. "Welcome back."

"The babies?" she asked, her eyes full of fear.

"We have two beautiful girls," he said through his tears.

"Two girls?" she asked, smiling a tiny smile. "Are they healthy?"

He was so proud of her; he couldn't stand it. "They are tiny and full of fire, like their mom," he realized he didn't know much about how they were. The doctor was supposed to come and give them an update.

"Did you hold them?" she asked him.

"I held Jelly, but they took them both to the NICU right after bean was born. They are taking excellent care of them and we will have a report soon," he said.

"We need to protect them. Brad wanted to take," she began to cry and Patrick was alarmed.

"Shhh, they are safe. No one is going to take them. Maxie is with them and she won't let anything happen to them. You need to take care of yourself right now," he stroked her cheek.

"I want to see them. They need to know we love them," she said through her tears.

He kissed her hand. "They know. They know because you almost gave your life protecting them. They know because they have been with you for almost 8 months. They are connected to us like we are connected to each other. We have a beautiful family Robin."

She looked into his eyes. "I love you so much. I was so scared but when you found me, I knew everything would be okay. You saved me and our girls."

He shook his head. "I did nothing but act like a scared child. If Maxie and Matt hadn't come, I don't know what would have happened. I owe them so much."

She squeezed his hand. "You would have done whatever you had to do. I am grateful they were there, too, but you are my strength, Patrick. You are all I ever need."

He wiped his eyes as Dr. Max walked in with Dr. Coleman. "Well I am glad to see you are awake." Max said. "Before I turn you over to Dr. Coleman, I want to talk to you about the babies. Baby girl Jelly, for lack of a better name at this point, is 3 pounds 8 oz. She is 15.5 inches long. She is having a little trouble breathing on her own, so we will support her for now and help her oxygen saturation. Baby girl bean is 3 pounds 6 oz and 15 inches long. She is also having a little trouble breathing on her own, so we are supporting her, but I'm hopeful in a few days we can remove the support. She is strong and put up quite a fight while we tried to put in the IV. I am very pleased with their progress so far. We aren't out of the woods, but they appear to be on the right track." Max smiled.

"Can we hold them?" Robin asked weakly.

"When you are a little stronger, I will have you taken to see them. You need to replenish your fluid and blood volume first. Patrick, you can hold them and sit with them whenever you would like." Max squeezed her hand. "You did great, Robin. Congratulations."

"Thank you," she said and Max walked out. Patrick wiped her cheeks and they looked at Coleman who walked up and sat down.

"Jelly and Bean?" he asked.

Patrick looked at Robin. "We will work on that," he smiled.

Coleman smiled at Robin. "We did a brain MRI on you, and I have the results. It's important to remember that we really don't have a previous scan to compare this to because we didn't scan you while you were pregnant. The way we look at brain scans with an MS patient is to look for lesions in the white matter of the brain. The lesions that are older will look like scars in the tissue. The lesions that are new, or enhancing, mean there is active disease. The lesions never go away, they just lie dormant, so to speak. Someone can have a lot of lesions and have no disability or effect, and others can have one lesion and have symptoms. It all depends on where the lesions are located. On your scan, we saw about 4 enhancing lesions, which represent active demyelinating disease," he saw her eyes well up with tears and Patrick squeezed her hand.

"It doesn't mean that you will have any problems, Robin. The worst part of this disease is the uncertainty of what is affected and when or if you will even notice. My main concern is the stress to your system. You know that stress can exacerbate symptoms and although you obviously can't stop feeling stress, especially considering what you just went through, you need to try and remain calm and positive. Until we can get you up and run some tests, I am not sure if there is any reason to start on steroids. Just try and sleep and recover and we will talk again later today," he stood up.

Patrick looked at him and thanked him before he left. He sat back down and looked at her. "We have two healthy daughters and you are doing remarkably well. I think that's cause for celebration."

She wiped her eyes, fighting her exhaustion. "They are so small and need help to breathe. I should have done better, Patrick. It's my job to give them the best start and I already failed."

He took her face in his hands and looked at her. "I will not listen to that, Robin. You are the best mother. You have been through unbelievable stress and challenges through this pregnancy. You helped me through a horrible time and were my strength. You were diagnosed with MS and faced the challenges with grace and integrity. You protected our children and ensured they were brought into this world safely despite horrible circumstances," he started to tear up. "I almost lost you and them. I almost lost everything and I will not let you beat yourself up for any of this. If you feel angry, blame me. If you need strength, take mine, but don't ever feel like you failed."

She looked at him. "I'm sorry. You're right. I love you so much."

He shook his head and leaned in to kiss her. "You are my hero. I love you."

She closed her eyes, exhausted. "You need to go see them, please. I need to hear they are okay from you."

He didn't want to leave her. He was scared to go. "I'll go soon."

She looked at him and exhaled. "They need to know they aren't alone. They need their daddy's love."

"They need both of us," he said and looked at her as she slept.


	26. Chapter 47-48

Chapter Forty-Seven:

Patrick made his way to the NICU after leaving Maxie with Robin. She made him promise to go see their girls and hold them. He didn't want to leave her, but he knew she was right. He felt ashamed. He was afraid to see his babies. He was scared of doing something wrong and he felt completely inadequate. He walked to the desk and the nurse smiled at him. "You must be daddy Drake. Your girls have been waiting for you."

He smiled and nodded. "How are they doing?"

"Well they are keeping the rest of the nursery up with their complaining, but I think it's good to exercise their lungs. Baby Jelly is about ready to eat. Would you like to feed her?" The nurse asked him.

Patrick didn't say anything.

"A little overwhelmed?" The nurse asked him. "Happens to most new fathers, especially of multiples," she helped him into a gown as she spoke to him. "The thing about babies is they kind of demand your best. To them, you are their everything. They don't judge you or expect anything other than your love and care. You look like someone who has a lot of that. Come on," she smiled and led him into the nursery. She took him to a chair between both incubators and he sat down.

She picked up Bean and looked at him. "Now she is a little feisty, but while I get the bottle ready for the other one, maybe you can get acquainted. Just make sure you support her head and you will do fine. She is on oxygen, so you can only hold her for a few minutes. Don't be alarmed at the wires and tubes. She has a nasogastric tube to help her receive nutrients until she is able to take a bottle." The nurse handed the tiny baby to Patrick and he looked at his daughter. The nurse smiled and walked away.

They did this. He and Robin created this being in his arms. How was that possible? She almost fit in his hand and she opened her eyes and looked at him. He felt something click within him, like a surge of love and of protection for this tiny person in his hands. She was beautiful. He felt his tears fall as he touched her cheek and she turned slightly to his finger. "Hi little one," he said softly. "I'm your daddy," he counted her fingers and moved the blanket to look at her toes. She was perfect. There were wires attached to her foot and the small tube coming from her nose, but she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"Your mommy will come see you soon, but she needs to sleep first. You put her through a lot today and she deserves some beauty rest. I am very happy to finally meet you and your sister. You are such a blessing to us and we will cherish you forever," he smiled as she scrunched her face up and let out a teeny wail. "I agree. I don't like hospitals either, but you have to get a little bigger before you can come home. I love you so much. You are daddy's baby girl," he looked up as the nurse came back in and took her, placing her back into the incubator.

"Are you ready for Jelly?" she asked.

He nodded, wiping his eyes. She handed him his other baby and he felt the same sensation. She was a fraction larger, but also fit in his hand.

"She has been good about taking a bottle. It is important for a preemie to sit up while feeding, so you need to hold her in a more upright position." The nurse showed him and he followed the instructions. The baby worked hard at latching onto the nipple. He felt completely inadequate, but he tried.

"Is your wife going to try and nurse?" she asked him.

"I don't know," he said, mesmerized by his baby eating.

"Well if she can, we will show her what to do. Preemies are a challenge, but from what I heard about how they came into the world, they are up for it," she watched the new father and smiled. He was a natural. She helped him with the feeding and then left him with his daughter for a minute.

"Hi sweet baby. We met briefly earlier, but it was hectic, so you might not remember me. I'm your daddy and I am so happy to meet you," he looked at her hands and feet and stroked her cheek. "Your mommy loves you so much and she will be here to see you soon. You were very brave, making an entrance when you did. I like that, it shows spunk," he smiled at her facial expressions. "Your mommy and I are going to make sure you and your sister have the best life. That's a promise," he looked up as the nurse came back and smiled.

"She needs to go back into the incubator," she said and Patrick nodded as he handed her back. The nurse placed her gently back and walked away.

Patrick stood in front of his two babies and looked at them. He vowed to them that he would protect them no matter what. This was his gift from God and he would cherish it always. He walked to the nurse and sighed. "You know we are concerned for their safety. Someone tried to steal them earlier."

"I know. We are aware and we have this floor protected. No one comes in or off the elevator without proper clearance. Dr. Maxie made sure everything was in order and Dr. Max double checked. We won't let anything happen to your precious cargo," she smiled. "Can I ask you something, if it isn't too forward."

Patrick nodded. "Of course."

"You aren't really naming them Jelly and Bean, are you?"

He laughed. "No. My wife and I will let you know their names together."

She smiled. "Just checking."

Patrick pulled off his gown and made his way back to Robin.

XXXX

"I need to see my babies." Robin said emphatically. Patrick could hear her as he made his way back to her room. He walked in and Maxie stood up.

"Thank God. Talk some sense into your wife because she won't listen to me and she is going to make herself worse." Maxie said as she glared at Robin.

"Why don't you give us a minute?" Patrick said and Maxie nodded as she walked out.

He sat down and looked at Robin. She was too pale and her eyes were dull. The bruising on her face stood out and her tears broke his heart. "Robin, listen to me for a minute, please?"

She blinked and looked into his eyes. "Okay."

"You have to take care of yourself. Your body has been put through so much and the more stress you are under, the longer it will take for you to recover, if you recover," he said.

She looked at her hands. "I feel like everyone is lying to me," she looked into his eyes. "Did I lose the babies?"

He was stunned. "God, no Robin. They are beautiful and perfect. Why would you think that?"

"Nobody will let me see them and when I ask about them, there is no information. I just assumed they were waiting to tell me," she said as her tears fell.

He pulled her gently into his arms. "Our daughters are alive and well. I promise you that," he held her while she cried and he felt terrible that she truly thought that. He sat back and took her hands in his. "There is no information because they are being closely guarded. No one is allowed any information unless it goes by Maxie or you or me."

"They are really okay?" she asked him softly.

He brushed her hair behind her ear. "They are really okay. I just held them both and told them how happy we are to finally have them here."

"Patrick, I want to see them, please. I need to see them," she said earnestly.

He nodded, not able to argue anymore. "Okay. Let me see what we need to do to get you up," he sighed and wiped his face.

She realized how exhausted he looked and she held his hand, preventing him from moving. "Are you okay? I know this has been horrible for you. I'm so sorry I haven't been a very good wife. I love you and I want you to be okay."

He sat there and felt his eyes fill. "I'm petrified. I'm scared that you aren't okay and that you are pushing yourself. I watched you almost give your life delivering our babies and you are making yourself worse by getting so worked up," he looked down. "I'm sorry, I know how badly you want to see them, but I'm scared you are going to leave me," he wiped his eyes and she felt terrible, not seeing what she was doing to him.

She nodded. "Okay. You're right. I'll wait a little while longer," she could see the relief in his whole body. "Can you sit here with me?" she moved a little on the bed.

He got onto the bed and she moved a little so she was lying against him. She rubbed his chest and he put his arm around her. "I love you. I'm sorry I have been so difficult."

He shook his head. "You aren't being difficult, Robin. You are being a mother protecting her babies. It is what I would expect and it's why I love you. I am just feeling a little clingy and you are just going to have to deal with that," he kissed her forehead.

She smiled and nodded. "We will cling to each other."

Chapter Forty-Eight:

Patrick watched Robin as she slept and he thought about the last 24 hours. There was so much they hadn't talked about, so much they didn't plan. He realized how close he came to losing her and he felt sick. He stood up and walked to the window.

"Are you okay?" she asked him softly.

He turned and looked at her. "Hey, you're up," he smiled as he walked back to the bed.

"You didn't answer my question," she said with a smile.

"I've been better," he said as he sat down. "How do you feel?"

She reached up and stroked his chin. "I'm okay. How are the girls?"

He smiled. "Amazing."

She wiped her tears.

"I think it's time they met their mother, face to face," he said.

Her whole face lit up. "Really?"

"I got permission. You need to stay bundled in the wheelchair and you can't get up," he said.

"I'll do whatever you say," she said.

"Can I have that in writing?" he joked and she laughed. He wheeled the chair over and put a blanket over it. The nurse came in and disconnected her IV and wrapped it. Patrick picked her up in his arms and placed her gently in the chair while the nurse covered her legs.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

"I'm good to go," she said weakly.

He nodded and pushed her towards the NICU. He walked her to the desk and the same nurse was on duty. She smiled warmly at them and Patrick grinned. "This is Nurse Hill. She set me straight on what I needed to know."

The friendly older nurse hugged Robin. "My name is Tiffany Hill. You can call me Tiff. I am so glad you were able to come up. The girls need to see their mom."

Robin liked her immediately and watched as Patrick got his gown on and the nurse helped her to cover up. She walked them in the room and Patrick wheeled Robin to the incubators. He sat down next to her and the Tiffany went and grabbed baby Bean. She picked up the teeny infant and handed her to Robin. Patrick took out his camera and snapped a picture. Robin was overwhelmed.

She looked at her baby girl and touched her face. She watched as Tiffany handed Patrick baby Jelly. He moved closer to her and placed the baby in her other arm. Robin held both babies, Patrick helping to support them. The nurse placed two large pillows under Robin's arms to help as well.

"Look what we did," she said to him. She had tears rolling down her face. "They are perfect, just perfect," she leaned down and kissed each of their heads on the little caps they wore for protection. She looked at Patrick. "Take one, please."

He took Jelly and she held Bean to her. "Mommy loves you so much. You are wanted and you are cherished my little sweetheart. I'm so sorry I didn't keep you protected longer, but now that you're here, mommy and daddy can protect you together," she looked at Patrick who switched babies with her. Robin held Baby Jelly and stroked her cheek. "You are my big girl. You will help protect your baby sister and you will be our strong and brave girl. Mommy loves you so much and you are wanted and you are cherished my little sweetheart."

Patrick watched her repeat her words to each daughter and he couldn't help but let his own tears fall. He was blessed and he knew it. Tiffany came in and put the babies back in the incubators and left Patrick and Robin alone. Patrick looked at his wife.

"I told you they were perfect," he said as he brushed her tears away.

"They are so small, too small," she said softly.

"They are perfect and they will grow. We will make sure of it," he took her face in his hands and she met his gaze.

"I'm so glad you're here," she said. "I just hope you know how much I need you."

"We are here together, Robin. This is our life and I am beyond excited to live it," he kissed her.

She stroked his cheek and smiled. "I think they need names."

He smiled. "They certainly do. Do you think it fits them? Now that you've met them face to face?"

She wiped her eyes. "I do. What about you?"

He smiled. "I do."

They looked into Baby Jelly's incubator and Patrick smiled. "Welcome to the world Hannah Bailey Drake."

He turned to Baby Bean's incubator and smiled. "Welcome to the world Rebecca Katherine Drake."

He sat down and took Robin's hand in his. "Hannah and Rebecca."

She put her head on his shoulder. "Such big names for such tiny girls."

"Somehow I think they have already proven they are meant for great things," he said, putting his arm around her. "We should get you back to bed."

She shook her head. "No, I don't want to go," she wiped her eyes.

He rubbed her back. "Okay, we will stay a little longer."

Suddenly they heard a tiny wail come from Rebecca. Robin sat up and reached her hand in from the side. She rubbed the baby's chest with her finger and Rebecca immediately calmed down. "That's a good baby. Mommy and daddy are here and we will always be here for you," she said softly.

They smiled as Hannah let out a louder wail. Patrick reached his hand in and stroked her belly. She settled immediately. "Sibling rivalry already?" he looked at Robin.

"We are going to have our hands full, aren't we?" she said.

He smiled. "I think we already do. They have us both wrapped around their fingers; literally," he looked as both babies had their parents fingers grasped in their own.


	27. Chapter 49-50

Chapter Forty-Nine:

Patrick brought Robin back to her room and waited while the nurses got her settled and hooked her fluids back up. He made his way in and saw her looking at him. "Come here please."

He walked over and sat down, taking her hand in his. "You should rest."

She exhaled and shrugged as she felt her tears fall. He moved to sit on the bed, facing her and brushed her tears away. "What is it?"

"I just can't believe what almost happened," she looked at him. "Patrick, I was so scared when I was realized what Brad wanted to do. I just think I did something wrong, you know? I shouldn't have run into the rain. I was so stupid and now Becca and Hannah are fighting to live and I can't even stay with them and comfort them. I just want to protect them and be with you as a family."

He was glad she was talking about what happened. It had worried him when she didn't mention it. "We are a family and we will all be home before you know it. Baby, you have to know how brave you were and how you saved our girls. Brad was crazy. When I think of what he was going to do and what that must have been like for you, it makes me crazy. I was so scared that I had lost all of you."

She looked at him with watery eyes. "He is still out there, isn't he?"

Patrick took her hands in his. "No one will get near our girls. I promise you that."

She squeezed his hands. "We need to talk to Elizabeth. I'm worried about her. Brad is obsessed with getting to her as well and I want her to be careful."

He nodded. "Lucky hasn't let her out of his sight."

"I need to thank everyone for helping me. Your brother was great. Is he okay after seeing me like that?" she asked him.

Patrick smiled. "Matt is fine. I think he was a little scared at seeing what you were going through, but he didn't see anything he shouldn't have."

She smiled. "Good."

He noticed her get a strange look on her face. "What's going on?"

She shook her head. "Nothing, I'm okay. I just have a headache."

He didn't believe her. "Robin, tell me, please."

"I just feel a little strange all of a sudden. My arms and legs are tingly," she lay down and closed her eyes. "I'm scared, Patrick. I hate this," she sobbed.

He crawled into the bed behind her and held her. "It's going to be okay. Remember that Dr. Coleman said this is to be expected. You just need to try and relax. Just feel my arms around you and listen to my voice," he said softly. Coleman had told them to expect Robin to suffer from some symptoms like this and it would be compounded by the fatigue she was under. "Do you want me to ask him to give you something?"

She held his arms around her and tried to calm her breathing. "No. I want to try and nurse the girls. I don't want to take anything that might not let me do that."

He kissed her cheek and held her, praying this would get better for her. He hated how much she was going through. So much of this was unfair and he could do nothing but watch. "I love you so much."

She felt herself calming down a little. "I love you, too."

XXXXX

Nurse Hill checked on the Drake babies and smiled at how cute they were. She checked their vitals and wrote down the necessary numbers. "Your mommy and daddy are sure going to have their hands full with you little ones," she spoke to them as she watched them sleep peacefully. She moved to check on the other babies and did the same. She loved her job and relished being a calming presence in the lives of the babies and the new parents. She walked to the desk and looked over the charts. She didn't notice the figure lurking down the hall.

XXXXX

Patrick held her until he was sure she was asleep. He got out of the bed and walked out to the lobby. He saw his mom and dad sitting there, talking with Matt and Liz and Lucky. He hadn't really had a minute to talk to them yet, other than telling them they had 2 girls. Noah saw him first and stood up, pulling his son into a bear hug.

"How are your girls?" Noah asked him.

Patrick smiled at them all and sat down. "The babies are beautiful and amazing."

"And Robin?" Maddie asked him.

He shrugged. "I don't know. She has been through so much and she is still going through so much. She is the strongest person I know, but I'm really worried."

"She will be okay, Patty." His mom said affectionately. "Take it from me, the power of a mother's love is a very motivating feeling. Robin knows her babies need her and she will do whatever is needed to be there for them and for you."

Matt walked over to them and nodded. "Mom's right. I saw Robin fighting and she was amazing."

Patrick ran his hand through his hair. "I know, but she isn't a super woman; everyone has their limits."

Noah squeezed his arm. "Just be with her and support her."

Maddy looked at her ex husband with admiration. "Noah's right. Let her be scared with you. Let her tell you her fears and verbalize her worries. It will help her not keep everything inside."

Liz walked over to them. "Patrick, did they say if there was any word on Brad?" she had tears in her eyes and Patrick stood up to hug her.

"Liz, please don't blame yourself for any of this. Brad is going to be caught and he will be punished." Patrick said sincerely.

"It is my fault, Patrick. I brought him into your life and now he won't leave. I just can't believe he went this far," she said and wiped her eyes.

Lucky walked up and put his arm around her. "We will get him. Sonny and Jax are interrogating Jason and they will get Brad's location out of him."

Matt looked up. "Maybe I should pay Jason another visit?"

Noah and Maddie looked at him, confused. "Jason has a crush on Matt. He thinks Matt is into him as well. We used that last time he was after Robin." Patrick explained.

Noah and Maddie looked at each other. "Is there something you need to tell us?"

Matt crossed his arms. "No. I am with Maxie. I can't help it if I attract attention."

Patrick smiled, grateful for the distraction. "It's late and I think you all should go home. You won't be able to see the babies yet and hopefully tomorrow you will be able to see Robin; I know she would like that. I'll let you know if anything changes before then."

Matt hung back after everyone left and walked with his brother. "I'm worried about you, man. You look like you are about to keel over."

Patrick sighed. "I'm okay. I just need to keep my girl's safe, something I failed to do before," he looked at his brother. "Sorry, I didn't mean that."

"I think you did. I think you blame yourself and that's about as ridiculous as Robin blaming herself. The only people here who deserve blame are Brad and Jason. They will pay and you will all live happily ever after." Matt said. "I mean it, Patrick. Don't do this to yourself."

"Thanks. I really appreciate everything you and Maxie have done," he looked at his watch. "Is she coming back soon?"

"She went to check on the girls. She should be back soon. I'll get her, why don't you go back to Robin and try and sleep?" Matt asked him. "I'll have Maxie stop in before we leave."

Patrick hugged his brother. "Thanks again. I know I told people not to visit yet, but you and Maxie are welcome anytime."

The younger brother smiled. "I know. I'll see you soon."

Patrick walked back to his wife and Matt walked to the nursery. Neither one of them were prepared for what they would find.

Chapter Fifty:

It never occurred to them that the very place, which should be safe, was the most dangerous. It never occurred to them that the people who tried to protect them were also at risk. It never occurred to them that Jason worked at the hospital for years and had intricate knowledge of the safety practices and procedures.

It never occurred to them.

It should have.

Matt walked to the nursery and noticed immediately that something was wrong. Nurse Hill wasn't there; nobody was. He walked towards the nursery and saw a site that made his heart sink. Maxie was tied up sitting in a chair with Brad standing behind her, a gun pointed to her head. He was yelling at her and she looked scared but furious. Tiffany was lying on the ground and Matt couldn't tell if she was alive or dead. He hid around a corner and prayed Brad hadn't seen him. He needed a plan and he needed it now.

XXXX

Patrick made his way back to see Robin. He felt better after seeing his family and knew it would take time, but they would all make it. He walked into her room and noticed immediately she wasn't there, and worse, the IV pole was on the ground and the needle was with it. There was a trail of blood on the sheet. He ran out to the nurse's station and saw no one there. He began to panic and ran towards the nursery. Walking to the desk his worst fears were confirmed when there was no one there. He went to go in when a hand grabbed him and yanked him back. He turned to fight and saw it was Matt. His brother shushed him and Patrick kept his mouth shut. They moved to a corner and Patrick looked at him.

"What is going on?" he whispered.

"Brad is with the babies." Matt said.

Patrick went to run out and Matt held him. "Stop it and listen to me," he hissed.

"Robin is missing," he said.

"What? What do you mean?" Matt asked.

"She isn't in her room and the nurses are gone. I have to get in there." Patrick said.

"Brad has a gun on Maxie. She is tied to the chair in there and he is holding a gun on her. The nurse is on the floor, but I don't know if she is alive or dead." Matt said. "I already called the police."

"Where is Robin?" Patrick asked. "She is so weak. If he did anything more to her," he was full of anger and anxiety.

Matt nodded. "We need some sort of plan. We can't just run in there. We have no weapons," he thought for a minute. "Do you think he knows who I am?"

"I don't think so. Why?"

"I'm just thinking. I may have an idea. Let me try to distract him and see if I can do anything." Matt said.

"No, it's too dangerous. I don't want him to shoot you." Patrick said to his brother.

"He has a gun on Maxie. This isn't just about you." Matt said and walked out.

Patrick watched his brother and prayed he was right. He looked to make a move while Brad was distracted.

Matt walked up to the nursery and Maxie's eyes grew as big as saucers. Her mouth was gagged so she couldn't talk, which Matt felt was good. He needed her not to give him away. He smiled at her and looked at Brad who was on his phone. Matt walked to her and began to untie her hands. Brad walked up to him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Brad shoved Matt against the wall.

"Dude, the girl is tied up. I don't know about you, but I like my girls bondage free," he laughed and looked at Maxie, willing her to play along.

"Get out of here." Brad said.

"Sorry, can't do that." Matt said. He looked over and saw the babies were unharmed in their little incubator cribs. "What's the plan?"

Brad looked at him. "I asked you nicely to leave. I suggest you do that."

Matt looked as Patrick ran across the hall to the set of rooms behind the nursery. Brad was oblivious to the movement and Matt was relieved. He looked at Maxie and stood in front of the babies. "I'm not leaving, so do what you think you have to."

Patrick ran to the rooms and looked in, trying to find someone to help them. He saw most of the rooms were empty and he remembered they had cleared the floor when the babies were brought in. He didn't know what to do, so he grabbed a pair of scissors and what looked like an object that could do some damage. He made his way back towards the nursery.

"Who are you?" Brad asked him.

"I'm a friend of Jason's. We're very close, if you know what I mean," he said. "He would want me to help you with this."

Brad looked at him. "How come Jason never told me about you?"

"I don't know why he does that." Matt pretended to get upset. "I know I'm not the perfect boyfriend, but why he insists on hiding our relationship is beyond me. I am going to let him have it this time."

Brad looked at Maxie and then at Matt. "Fine, just get rid of her so I can take the baby," he said.

"Which baby is it?" Matt asked, pretending he didn't know. "How are you going to take one?"

"Just shut up and get rid of her. I have my hands full getting rid of this one," he motioned to the desk and Matt looked over to see Robin on the floor, not looking good at all. His heart dropped as he walked over to her. "Leave her to me." Brad said.

Matt walked over to Maxie and untied her. He took her arm and looked at Brad. "Can I go have some fun first?"

"Whatever you want, but I thought you were with Jason," he said.

"Not that kind of fun. The torture kind," he said.

"Whatever. I'll finish up here." Brad said.

Matt took Maxie back to the rooms and as soon as they were hidden she jumped into his arms. He held her and soothed her. "It's okay. You're okay. We need to get to Robin and the babies."

Maxie was really shaken up and he hoped Brad hadn't done anything to her. They heard a noise and she jumped but Matt looked and saw his brother. "Patrick, here," he said quietly.

Patrick ran into the room and looked at Maxie. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "We have to get to the babies. He is crazy."

"We have a bigger problem." Matt said.

Maxie and Patrick looked at him.

"Robin is there. She is in bad shape." Matt said softly.

"Oh God, what do you mean?" Patrick asked.

"She was behind the desk, on the floor and she looked bad. I tried to check but he wouldn't let me. We need to help her," he sighed. "I'll go back in and see what I can do. He thinks I'm okay for now. Where are the cops?"

Maxie looked at them. "If the hospital is on lockdown, they might have trouble getting in," she looked at them. "I have an idea, keep your eye on him and I'll be right back."

Patrick looked at his brother. "Was she conscious? Did you see if she was bleeding?"

Matt shook his head. "She was out. I don't know anything else. She was on the floor and he was standing by her," he sighed. "We need to get back to her."

Patrick looked sick. "I don't understand this. I don't get what he wants."

"The babies are fine. He hadn't touched them. I still don't think he knows you had twins." Matt said.

Patrick nodded. "He blames Robin. That's what he wants. He wants her to suffer. He thinks she made Elizabeth leave him," he looked at Maxie walked up with a syringe.

"We need to inject him with this," she said. "If you can get close enough, you have to stick him."

Matt nodded. "Will it kill him?"

"No, but it will knock him out," she looked at them. "We have to get Robin out of there."

"Then I'll go do that." Matt said and looked at his brother. "Don't worry."

Patrick watched his brother and prayed for his family. If Matt couldn't do this, he would kill Brad with his bare hands. He waited, ready to go in.


	28. Chapter 51

Chapter Fifty-One:

Matt walked back to the nursery and saw Brad standing over Robin. "We need to move, I think the police are going to be here soon." Matt tried to distract him.

"She needs to pay. She ruined my life and I want her to watch me ruin hers." Brad said. He picked her up and moved her to the floor by the door. Matt reached down to her.

"Get away from her, this part is all mine." Brad said.

"She looks like she already paid the price. Why don't you just get out while you still can?" Matt asked him, holding the syringe in his pocket. He needed to move this along.

"Why do you care?" he walked closer to him and Matt got nervous.

"I don't. I just don't want to go to jail." Matt said and moved quickly to jab the needle into Brad's arm. Patrick and Maxie ran forward and Brad quickly turned the fight to Matt and stuck him with the needle. Matt collapsed and Brad looked at them, his back to Robin.

"You are all going to pay for that," he raised his gun and Robin stood up behind him. She made a move and stabbed him in the neck with a scalpel. He fell to the floor and she collapsed.

Maxie rushed to Matt and Patrick rushed to Robin. He took her face in his hands and she looked at him. "He was going to take the girls. I had to do it," she sobbed.

He pulled her into his arms. "I'm so proud of you. You saved all of us."

She held onto him and he could feel her strength fading. He picked her up and carried her to the hallway, away from the mess on the floor. He laid her down and went to grab some blankets. "Maxie. Is he okay?" he yelled about his brother.

"He will be out for a while, but he will be fine," she called on her hospital phone and relayed the information they needed to get to them. "The police are on their way."

They all looked up as Tiffany sat up slowly and Maxie went to her. "Are you okay?"

"That little punk. I could kill him," she said and looked over at him, the pool of blood forming around him. "Good riddance."

Patrick looked at Robin who was so pale. He was scared to death she wasn't going to make it. He stroked her cheek as they waited for help. "Are the babies okay?" she asked through closed eyes.

"Perfect. Not a hair touched," he said. "This is over now, baby. You just have to get well."

She nodded. "I'm going to be just fine."

A while later, the police had finished taking statements and Robin was in ICU, resting comfortably. It was more a precaution because of everything she had been through and how her body was exposed to so much. Matt was sleeping it off in a room and Maxie was with him. Patrick made sure he held each of his daughters and then went to be with his wife.

Robin had oxygen in her nose and an IV in her arm, but she seemed to look a little better. Patrick sat down and took her hand in his. She looked at him. "Is he dead?"

Patrick nodded. "Yes. He can't hurt us anymore."

She nodded. "I didn't want to kill him, I just couldn't let him hurt you or the girls," her chin quivered.

"You saved all of us. You were amazingly brave and strong. I am just so thankful you are okay," he said softly.

"I am going to be fine. I wish I could hold my babies again," she said softly.

"You can as soon as you get some rest. Tomorrow will be a fresh start for our family," he said.

She smiled. "We don't have the nursery ready yet."

He ran a hand through his hair. "We don't have anything ready."

There was a knock at the door and they looked to see Maxie standing there with Liz. Robin smiled and Patrick held her hand. "Come in," she said softly.

"Is my brother awake yet?" Patrick asked Maxie.

"He is checking himself out as we speak. I think he's a little embarrassed by what happened," she said.

"I still can't believe he risked his life to help me." Robin said.

Patrick grinned. "We both owe him so much, but I think a lot of him helping had to do with Maxie."

The emergency room doctor blushed. "I could have handled it."

Robin smiled and looked at Patrick. "Can you give me a minute to talk to Liz?"

He saw Liz hanging by the window, looking out. He nodded. "Come on Maxie, let's go find my stubborn brother," he leaned in and kissed Robin and walked out with Maxie.

Robin looked at her oldest friend. "Lizzie, come here."

The petite science teacher turned around and walked to Robin, her eyes wet. She sat down and sighed. "I don't know how I will ever apologize enough for what Brad did to you. I am just so sorry."

Robin took her friends hand. "Stop this. You are not responsible for this. Sweetie, Brad made your life miserable for years. I'm just sorry I didn't help you sooner. I should have seen him for who he was and I didn't. He is gone and I have two beautiful baby girls. You are finally with a man who respects you and treats you the way you deserve to be treated. I think we need to look forward from now on and not back. We need to live our lives the way we always wanted to." Robin smiled as she leaned back against the pillow. "You are like my sister, Liz and I need you to be okay."

Elizabeth smiled at the compassion Robin showed her and the grace her friend showed. "I am okay. I think I just need to learn how to live without the fear of him coming back."

"Maybe Lucky can help you with that?" Robin grinned.

"Maybe?" Liz said and the girls smiled at each other. Robin closed her eyes, exhausted and Liz sat with her, praying the worst was indeed, over.

XXXXX

Patrick walked in to see Robin the next morning and saw her room empty. He had gone home for the night and finally got a good night's sleep. He was feeling rested and excited to begin their lives without any threats and he had a surprise for her. He turned to ask about her, worried something was wrong, but a nurse walked by and smiled at him.

"She is in the nursery." The nurse said.

"Thanks," Patrick smiled and made his way to the NICU. He saw Robin sitting in a rocking chair, holding a baby. He put his gown on and walked in, smiling at her.

"Hi, you look so much better," she said to him.

He laughed. "What do you mean? I didn't think I looked so badly."

"I didn't mean that, I just meant you were so tired and you needed a break. You look well rested and happy." Robin said. "I'm glad."

He looked at his daughter and smiled as the nurse handed him Hannah. "Hi little Jelly," he smiled.

"I keep calling her Becca Bean." Robin grinned at the baby in her arms. She felt tears fill her eyes as she looked at him. "We are so blessed, Patrick. Look at these gifts."

He nodded. "I know," he watched his daughters sleeping and he leaned over to kiss her. "How do you feel?" she was looking much better and her eyes were bright.

"I'm good. I slept for a bit and then I had a visit from your mom and dad and Sam," she smiled at him.

"My dad brought his play toy?" Patrick looked at her with embarrassment. "I'm sure my mom loved that."

Robin smiled. "I think her comment was something about how Sam wasn't old enough to be allowed in the ward without a parent."

Patrick groaned. "I'll talk to him. He just doesn't think."

"At least they are here," she said softly. "That's more than I can say about my parents."

He looked at her and his heart broke at her words. "I'm sorry they aren't here. I know how much you need them."

She felt her tears come and shrugged. "It isn't that I need them, but I look at our two beautiful girls and I can't imagine anything that would ever be more important to me or you than being with them. I just wonder if my parents feel the same way."

He looked up as the nurse came to put the babies back into the incubator. Robin handed her daughter to the nurse and Patrick did the same. They looked at their children and Patrick took her hand in his. "Robin, your parents love you so much. They would be here if they could."

She looked at him and he wiped her tears. "I wish I believed that. I mean I know they love me, but I feel like I'm not enough, you know? I never want our girls to feel that way."

"They won't. We will always put them first, but I don't want you to think that you aren't a priority to your parents, baby. Just because they aren't here doesn't mean they don't wish they were," he said softly.

She smiled at him. "I love you so much and I love that you always say he right things."

"It's the truth," he said and kissed her. "Let's get you back to your room."

She stood up slowly and he stopped her. "Hey, why are you up? I'll get the wheelchair."

"It's okay. I want to walk a little," she said. "Just give me your arm and I'm good."

He helped her up and she walked gingerly to the hallway where the wheelchair sat. She slowly sat down and he wheeled her back to her room. She got into the bed and sighed. "I just want to go home with our girls," she said and sighed. "I don't think they will be able to leave for a while."

"They will come home when they are ready. We have a whole lifetime to make memories with them. If it takes them a little longer to come home, then I can wait. I just want all of my girls to be healthy and happy," he grinned at her.

She was so full of love for him. "You are too good to be true. I am so glad you're here."

"You're stuck with me," he said.

They looked up as Dr. Coleman walked in. He smiled at the happy couple and pulled up a chair. "How are you feeling?"

Robin smiled. "I'm okay, better, really. I just want to go home."

He smiled at them and nodded. "Unfortunately, I can't help you with that one, but I do want to discuss something with you."

"Okay, what's going on?" Patrick asked.

"I would like you to begin a medication therapy as soon as possible. Because your MRI showed increased disease activity, I don't want to wait. It is important to stop the progression if we can." Coleman said.

Robin looked at him. "What do you suggest?"

"I think we should start you on a medication called Rebif. It is an interferon injection that has been proven to delay the severity of the disease. It isn't a cure, there is no cure, but there are disease modifying drug protocols that have been shown to be truly effective in your type of MS." Coleman paused, waiting for questions.

"Does it have to be an injection? Aren't there any pills she could take?" Patrick asked.

"Unfortunately, no. The only medications are injections. There are trials with oral meds and hopefully in the near future we will be able to market that, but for now, all of the treatments are shots," he looked at Robin. "There are options on the strength of the meds and the administering of them. There is one that is given in the muscle once a week. There is one that is given in the fat, or subcutaneously daily. There is one given every other day and there is one given 3 times a week. It is completely up to you which one you want to try, but my recommendation is the 3 times a week med, Rebif." Coleman said.

"Why that one?" Robin asked.

"It is the strongest dose and your best chance to maintain your level of health," he sighed. "I'm not going to tell you it will be easy to get used to, but we will help you learn how to properly inject yourself and we can show Patrick as well, so he can help if you want." Coleman smiled.

"Are there side effects?" Patrick asked.

"Unfortunately, yes. You will feel achy, tired and sore, kind of like you are coming down with the flu. Taking ibuprofen or Tylenol will help cut down on the effects. Doing the shot before bed will also help," he looked at them both. "Talk about it, look at the research and decide what you want to do. I wish I had a better option, but I don't," he stood up. "Please let me know what you think and if you have any questions, have me paged."

Patrick nodded. "Thank you so much."

Robin nodded. "Thanks," she watched him leave and exhaled slowly. "When I envisioned having a baby, this wasn't any part of it."

He sat on the bed facing her. "What are you worried about?" he asked softly.

"Not being able to care for our girls and being a burden to you," she said simply.

"You could never be a burden. I love you and I am honored to be your husband. We will take this one-day at a time and when we stumble, we will learn our way around. Please don't look at all of the possibilities because it is overwhelming. No one can say what will happen, we will just take it day by day," he said. "Will you do that for me?"

"I will do anything for you," she said. "I'm just scared."

"I know, me too," he hugged her to him. "But somehow I think when we look at this together, we simply can't fail."

She couldn't help it, in his arms, listening to his hope, she had no choice but to believe him and believe in them.


	29. Chapter end

Chapter Fifty-Three:

Robin sat up in her hospital bed and brushed her hair. She looked up as Patrick walked in, smiling at her. "Hi beautiful."

She laughed. "Hardly, but I appreciate the sentiment," he sat down next to her.

"You are beautiful to me, always," he leaned in and kissed her. "Are you ready to go home?"

She felt her eyes fill with tears and he brushed them away. "How can I leave them here?"

He knew she was broken up about leaving their babies. "They can't come home for a while and I need you home with me. You are doing so much better and we have a lot to do for their homecoming," he smiled at her.

"I just envisioned when I had them, they would come home with us. What if they get lonely or scared?" she sighed. "I know it's necessary, I just hate leaving them."

"I know, baby. We will be here all day and they will know how much we love them," he took her hand in his. "Right now, I want to take care of you if you'll let me."

She looked at him and got lost in his eyes. "I think we should take care of each other."

"Sounds like a plan," he looked up as the nurse wheeled a chair in.

"Ready to go?" The nurse asked.

Robin took a deep breath. "I am," she let Patrick help her up and into the chair and they left the hospital.

XXXXX

Patrick carried her into the house and placed her down on the couch. She smiled at him as he went to grab her bag and then sat down next to her. "Are you okay?"

She reached up and stroked his cheek. "I love you so much and I am wonderful."

He grinned at her. "I have something to show you."

"Really? Does it involve less clothes?" she asked him.

"Well no, but that can be arranged," he stood up. "Wait right here."

She sat back against the pillows on the couch and sighed. "She missed her girls and she missed being with Patrick. There was so much running through her mind."

He walked in with his laptop and sat down next to her. "I figured this would be something that might make the transition home easier," he clicked something and an image of their daughters in the nursery came up.

Robin gasped and brought her hand to her mouth as she looked at the images. She turned to her husband and was speechless. "I don't understand. How did you do this?"

He smiled at her reaction. "It's a baby cam. I worked with Nurse Hill to set up a camera in the NICU for us. I know it isn't normally allowed, but because of what happened to you, they made an exception. You can look in on them anytime. The camera is only on our girls, so there are no privacy issues with any other babies."

She looked at the image of her sleeping daughters and let her tears spill down her cheeks. She turned to him and shrugged. "You are simply the most amazing husband and father," she pulled him to her and hugged him tightly. "Thank you."

He rubbed her back. "I wish I could do so much more."

XXXXX

A while later, Patrick helped Robin into the bedroom and sat down on the bed with her. She was exhausted, but looked like there was something on her mind. He sat down next to her and she took his hand. "If you want to go out for a little while, it's okay. I am just going to take a nap."

"I'm tired, too," he said. "You can't get rid of me that easily. I almost lost you and our girls. You are home and I want to enjoy being with you. I think it's time we get undressed and just hold each other," he flashed his dimples at her.

"That's about all I can do, hold you. It will be awhile before there can be anything else. But you can certainly have fun and I would be happy to watch," she grinned, but her eyes weren't as bright as usual.

"Tell me what's bothering you. I can see there is something you are thinking about and it isn't jelly or bean," he smoothed her hair behind her shoulders.

"It's nothing, really. I should be so happy and I just need to keep remembering that," she said.

"That was cryptic. Talk to me, Robin. What are you thinking about?"

She felt tears come to her eyes as she looked at him. "I killed someone, Patrick. I know Brad was a really bad guy, but I killed him. I just don't know how to live with that," she put her head in her hands and cried.

He held her as she let it out and he felt his own eyes grow wet at her torment. He pulled back after a minute and wiped her face. "I wish I had been the one to do it for us. I wish more than anything I could take this from you. But I am not the least bit sorry he is gone. Baby, he tormented us for so long. He almost killed me when he hit me with that car. He was going to kill you and steal our children. He beat the crap out of Elizabeth and caused her to lose her baby. He stood in the NICU with a gun and he was going to kill us all if you didn't stop him. I am so proud of you and how brave you were despite horrific circumstances. Please don't beat yourself up about this."

She nodded and looked at him. "I couldn't let him hurt you or our girls. I just couldn't."

He hugged her again. "I thank God you are okay and our girls are okay. All I want is our family safe and home. Tonight I have the first part of that wish and soon enough we will all be together."

She sighed. "You're right," she looked at him. "When do you have to go back to work?"

"Well that's the other part of my surprise. I put in a while ago, but I actually just recently found out it was approved. I am officially on paternity leave for 4 weeks," he said.

He was simply the most amazing person. "How do you always do that?"

"What?"

"Make me feel better when I don't think there is any way out? Make me feel loved and respected and make me simply love you even more than I did a moment ago?"

He smiled through his own tears. "It's a talent."

She laughed and hugged him. "Let's get to some of that holding time."

He raised his eyebrows. "I thought you would never ask," he stood up and slowly moved to unbutton her top. He pulled it off her shoulders and tossed it on the floor. He helped her stand up while he pulled the covers down and helped her to lie down on the cool sheets. He moved to her pants and pulled them off before moving his hands up her legs and smiling at her. "You are so beautiful."

"I'm still fat," she said.

"Robin, you are not fat. You already look like you did before the pregnancy. Besides, I didn't mean your body, I meant you. You are beautiful," he leaned in and kissed her lips.

She smiled as she closed her eyes for a moment, exhausted. He grabbed her nightshirt and helped her take her bra off before she put the shirt on. He stood up and removed his clothes, walking in front of her as she bit her lip at his beautiful body. He pulled on his shorts and crawled into the bed next to her. He moved right against her and traced a line across her chin. "We will have our family together again really soon. Until then, we will simply have to love each other."

"Why don't you ask me to do something difficult?" she stroked his cheek and turned to lean into his chest as he held her and she fell asleep almost instantly.

Chapter Fifty-Four:

Robin and Patrick made their way to the nursery to spend the day with their daughters. They had been regular fixtures in the NICU and they were hopeful that maybe the girls would be able to come home soon. They walked in to put their gowns on and smiled at the nurse on duty.

"How are they this morning?" Patrick asked the new nurse.

"Doing well. Hannah has been very vocal and Becca took 2 ounces of formula by mouth," she said.

Robin was ecstatic. There was no way they could take them home if they weren't able to take formula successfully. She walked over to little Becca and reached in to touch her baby girl. "Hi little Becca bean. Mommy and daddy are here to see you."

Patrick walked over to Hannah and smiled at the fussy girl. "Good morning little Jelly belly. Daddy and mommy love you."

Each of them expertly unhooked their daughters and carefully picked them up. "Waaaa," Becca complained when Robin adjusted her in her arms. She smiled at her tiny daughter. "What is it? Do you need to tell me a story?" she asked as she sat down on the rocking chair. Becca nestled against her mom and settled down immediately.

Patrick sat down next to them with Hannah. She grasped his finger and Patrick felt his heart melt. "Robin, look at her," he said.

"What is it?" she smiled at her other baby girl.

"I think she winked at me." Patrick said.

Robin grinned. "It's called blinking."

"No, it was a wink. She winked at me," he said and moved her to his shoulder. She fit almost in one hand still, but it was evident they were both growing nicely. They held their girls and spent time enjoying them before they needed to be placed back in the incubator. After they were safely back in their makeshift cocoons, Patrick and Robin sat down, watching their daughters.

Robin looked at her husband who was deep in thought. She wondered what was going through his mind. She reached over and took his hand in hers and looked at the babies.

Patrick smiled as Robin put her hand in his. He looked at her and then his daughters. His mind was whirling with everything that had happened to them over the past year and a half. He had just moved back to Port Charles to take a job as a teacher in the school close to his parents. The last thing on his mind was any sort of relationship; that is until he saw Robin. He still remembered the first time he looked at her. Everyone was welcoming him in the teachers lounge and she stood back, not interested in the least. He was so taken by her and her ability to affect him so deeply by not doing anything. She was so guarded and he found himself needing to know why. And then she was attacked in the woods and he found her, beaten and bruised. Nothing had been the same since.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked him softly as she rubbed his hand.

He smiled and had tears in his eyes. "Us, you, our life, everything."

She leaned her head on his arm. "As long as it's nothing serious," she whispered and they both laughed. He put his arm around her and she smiled into the safety of his chest. He had always done that for her, made her safe. She never had that before, someone who put her above anything else, not because they had to, but because they needed to. He was everything to her from the first moment he walked into school. She tried to fight it and she went out of her way to be unreachable, but it didn't matter, they were each other's destiny. It was bound to happen.

"Where did you go?" he asked her as he rubbed her arm.

"Just thinking," she said softly.

"Care to elaborate?" he kissed her forehead.

She shrugged. "I am just so blessed. Sometimes I wonder if I deserve so much," she felt her eyes sting with tears.

He turned to look at her. "Where is this coming from? You deserve all of this, we both do."

She nodded. "I know. I just think about everything we have been through. So much has happened to you because of me and I just want our girls to be safe and to feel as loved as I do."

He stood up and reached for her. "Let's take a walk," he led her out to the small garden area near the nursery and they sat down. It was a beautiful day out, blue sky and a cooling breeze. He looked at her, the wind blowing her chestnut hair and her face glowing. He sat opposite her and took her hands in his. "Do you remember what happened soon after we met and I found you in the woods. You came back to work too soon and got light headed so you went home and I came over later. You wanted me to leave and I wouldn't."

She smiled. "I remember I got mad and threw a pillow and then immediately went to pick it up. You didn't understand that."

He grinned. "I always figured when someone throws something out of anger, it's best to let it sit for a while."

"I always had to make everything better. You called me on that," she smiled.

"Something profound happened that afternoon, do you remember?" he asked her.

She looked up at him and nodded. "The shower scene."

"You make it sound like it was from _Psycho _or something," he chuckled. "I remember every part of it, but more importantly, my feelings."

_Robin cried into his shoulder as she sat there, dripping wet, wrapped only in a towel, but she didn't care. She felt like the weight of the world was slowing pouring off of her shoulders. She was spent, like she had just run a marathon and she wasn't sure she even had the energy to pick her head up. _

_Patrick felt like he was home. He thought she fit perfectly in his arms and through his whole life, he had longed for someone to wake him up like she had. He had almost lost hope that there was someone out there for him. He also realized the ridiculousness of having these feelings in the midst of her having a breakdown. He needed to get her through this, get them through this, and then they could maybe be more. _

_Robin put her hand on his chest and picked her head up, using her other hand to almost hold her head up, resting her forehead on her palm. Patrick touched her face and smoothed her hair. "Hey, are you back?" he smiled at her, no a hint of anything other than compassion in his face._

_She exhaled. "I am so exhausted. I don't know what happened, but I think every bit of my energy just left my body."_

_He was concerned, but figured it was probably just the extent of the emotional release she had just experienced. "We need to get you dressed or you're going to get sick. Where are your clothes?"_

"_I can do it. Do you want to wait in the other room?" she asked, looking down._

"_No. I don't want to leave you. I will turn away and give you privacy, but I am simply not leaving," He said leaving no room for argument._

_She nodded, grateful. "Okay. Can you just hand me those pants over there?" she motioned to her clothes and he handed them to her. He turned and looked out the window as she put her clothes on. She stayed sitting on the bed and looked over at him. "All done," she whispered._

He turned and smiled at her. She was a mess, with wet hair plastered in all directions, red splotches on her face, her bare feet on the floor and her clothes wrinkled and worn, but Patrick thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

Robin wiped her eyes at his memory and looked at him. "I was anything but beautiful. You should have run while you could," she smiled, showing him she was joking.

"Where would I have gone? Everywhere I went, I thought about you. At work, I wanted to be with you. At home I missed you. Running would have done nothing. I would have run to you," he said softly.

She leaned in and kissed him. "Do you remember when we first said I love you?"

"How could I forget? We had just made love for the first time and I just blurted it out," he smiled. "I wasn't sure if you felt the same way."

"_I love you," He said and meant it with all his heart. She looked at him and her eyes were wide while she registered what he said. "I don't know if you feel the same way or if I should have waited to say something or if I just ruined something that was perfect, but I just wanted you to know," he said, feeling more exposed than he did while they made love._

_Robin looked at him while he spoke, and all she could hear were the words 'I love you'. She sat up, wrapped in the sheet and looked at him. She took her hand and smoothed his cheek, already showing stubble from not shaving in a day. She touched his bare chest and he put his hand on hers. "You don't have to say," he began and she put her finger on his lips, stopping his sentence. _

"_When I was little, I used to imagine my knight in shining armor coming into town and rescuing me. I pictured all of the amazing heroes from the stories I read being the only man who would ever have my heart. I began to lose that image when I met men who were simply not for me. I even went so far as almost settling for less than I wanted, or deserved," she scooted closer to him. "But you, Patrick, you came into my life and it was like an explosion of feelings. Everything I had left behind came back to the forefront. You are my hero, my knight in shining armor, my friend, and my equal. I love you, too," she said simply._

_He smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to his chest. She pressed her mouth on his and kissed him deeply. She broke the connection and he saw she had tears in her eyes. "What is it?"_

_She shook her head. "Nothing, just a little overwhelmed."_

_He smiled. "Me too."_

"_So are you going to always compare me to literary characters, because I might have some reading to catch up on?" he said with his eyes smiling._

She shrugged. "That's the drawback of dating an English teacher."

Patrick felt overwhelmed as she relayed that moment and how vividly she had remembered it. He was simply surprised by her every day and his love and admiration for her had grown exponentially. "It's really important to me that you know how happy I am and how much I love you and our little Jelly and Bean. We are going to have the best life with our girls. We will teach them to love and honor each other. We will show them that sometimes life is hard and sometimes there is pain involved in living, but when you find a love like we have, when you least expect it, you find all the courage you need. After all, love is courage."

She wiped her eyes and leaned in to kiss him deeply as a group of butterflies landed next to them.

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The End! Thank you so much for reading. Please check out my other stories


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